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It was a fitting end to a perfect season.
South Carolina became the 10th undefeated champion in women’s college basketball history on Sunday, defeating Iowa 87-75 — a year after the Hawkeyes knocked off the Gamecocks in the Final Four.
This is the Gamecocks’ third national title and their second in the last three seasons, and it comes after Dawn Staley lost all five starters from last season’s squad.
Iowa got out to an early 10-point lead and held off South Carolina until halfway through the second quarter. It was back and forth before a layup from SC’s Raven Johnson put the Gamecocks up 49-46 at the half. The Hawkeyes would not regain the lead.
Off the bench, Tessa Johnson led the Gamecocks with 19 points, but the MVP was Kamilla Cardoso, who scored 15 points and had 17 rebounds. Te-Hina Paopao had 14 points, and Chloe Kitts had 11.
South Carolina became just the fifth Division I program to complete an undefeated season (38-0), joining UConn (six times), Baylor (2011-12), Tennessee (1997-98), and Texas (1985-86).
The projected No. 1 pick in next week’s WNBA draft, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark didn’t make it easy for the Gamecocks, putting up 18 points in the first quarter — the most in a period in the national championship game — to break Chamique Holdsclaw’s record for most career points in the NCAA tournament. She would only score 12 in the last 30 minutes.
Despite Iowa making the past two championship games, Clark’s historic college career comes to a close without a national title. Still, her impact on women’s basketball and women’s sports, in general, cannot be overstated. Clark finishes her college career as the all-time NCAA Division I scoring leader for men and women with 3,951 points. She averaged 31.6 PPG this season and 28.4 over 139 career games.
As South Carolina’s trophy ceremony came to a close, Staley clearly agreed that Clark deserved her flowers.
“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport,” Staley said. “She carried a heavy load for our sport… She’s gonna lift [the WNBA] up… You are one of the GOATs of our game.”
See below for how all the action from South Carolina’s win and Caitlin Clark’s final college game unfolded.
Betting update
South Carolina (38-0) wins their second national championship in the last three years. They complete the perfect season with an 87-75 win over Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Gamecocks cover the 6.5-point pregame Spread and the OVER 160.5 cashes as well. Clark finishes with 30 points, scoring 18 in the first quarter, but only 12 in the final 30 minutes to fall short of her projected total of 31.5 points.
Betting update — South Carolina 78 – Iowa 72, 4:39 4Q
4:39 remains in the fourth quarter, and Iowa is clawing its way back into it, trailing by just 6 points. Caitlin Clark has 30 points to lead all scorers. The Gamecocks are now 9.5-point favorites with the game total back up to 169.5 points.
South Carolina’s depth on full display
Nine South Carolina players have scored to Iowa’s five.
Start of 4th: South Carolina 68 – Iowa 59
Betting update: We go to the fourth quarter with South Carolina leading Iowa 68-59. The Gamecocks are 10 minutes from completing the perfect season. The spread is now South Carolina favored by 9.5-points with the game total dropping to 169.5 points.
South Carolina’s strengths on full display heading into 4th
The Gamecocks are winning this game with excellent defense, capitalizing on rebounds, and spreading the love — almost every player that has checked in to the game has scored.
Timeout: South Carolina 68 – Iowa 57, 1:06 3Q
South Carolina’s talent and depth appears to be taking a toll on Iowa. The Gamecocks are on an 11-2 run and lead 68-57 with 1:06 remaining in the quarter.
Under 5 in the 3Q | USC 57, IOWA 53
8 of 9 Gamecocks who’ve checked in have points on the board 🗑️ pic.twitter.com/EzTurGAUz5
— South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 7, 2024
Betting update — South Carolina 57 – Iowa 53, 4:58 3 Q
South Carolina starts strong to open the second half but Iowa claws back to within 4. The Gamecocks lead Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes 57-53 with just under 5 minutes remaining in the third quarter. The spread is now South Carolina -7.5 points with the game total having shrunk a touch to 174.5.
Halftime: South Carolina leads Iowa, 49-46
Betting update: The Gamecocks are now a 7.5-point favorite with the game total now at 180.5 points. The story of the first half has been Caitlin Clark scoring 21 points in the first 20 minutes (but only 3 in the second quarter) and South Carolina’s dominance on the boards. They are out-rebounding the Hawkeyes 27-18.
Get ready for Monday night’s championship game between the UConn Huskies and the Purdue Boilermakers with Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick. Bet the Edge is your source for the day in sports betting. Get all of Jay and Drew’s insight weekdays at 6 a.m. ET right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Bang Bang, Pao Pao
Te-Hina Paopao is 3/3 on 3 pointers today.
Betting update — tied at 44, 59.9 2Q
Under a minute remaining in the first half and the national championship is tied at 44. Caitlin Clark is the game’s leading scorer with 21 points. The Gamecocks are a 5.5-point favorite. The game total continues to climb. It is now 117.5 points.
Betting update — tied at 36-36, 4:11 2Q
Kamilla Cardoso and the Gamecocks have outrebounded the Hawkeyes 23-14 to draw South Carolina even with Iowa at 34 points apiece. As a result, Dawn Staley’s squad is once again a 6.5-point favorite. The game total has grown to 172.5 points.
Gamecocks take the lead, 36-34
Foul on Cardoso ties things up, 27-27
Kamilla Cardoso makes a free to tie things up.
Caitlin Clark breaks record for most career points in NCAA tournament
Caitlin Clark has broken Chamique Holdsclaw’s record for most career points in the NCAA tournament — 480 points and counting.
End of 1st Q: Iowa 27 – South Carolina 20
Betting update: Caitlin Clark scores a record 18 points in the first quarter to spark Iowa to a 7-point lead after the first 10 minutes. The Hawkeyes lead 27-20. South Carolina is still favored by 1.5-points at BetMGM with the game total holding steady at 171.5 points.
For more from Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper), Jay Croucher (@croucherJD), and the NBC Sports betting team, visit nbcsports.com/betting and enjoy Bet the EDGE right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Betting update
Caitlin Clark with 13 early points, and the Iowa Hawkeyes are off to a fast start, leading South Carolina by the score of 20-9 with 4:45 remaining in the first quarter. Because of that start, Iowa has gone from a 6.5-point underdog when the game started to a now a 2.5-point favorite with the game total now 171.5 points.
Clark revving up
Caitlin Clark has scored the last 11 pts for Iowa.
Iowa goes on 10-point run before South Carolina strikes
Iowa gets up 10-0 before South Carolina gets on the board. 10-2.
Game Start: Iowa on the board first
Kate Martin gets Iowa on the board first with a 3.
South Carolina Starting 5
Chloe Kitts
Kamilla Cardoso
Raven Johnson
Bree Hall
Te-Hina Paopao
Iowa Starting 5
Hannah Stuelke
Sydney Affolter
Kate Martin
Gabbie Marshall
Caitlin Clark
Last minute odds
Minutes from tip-off, South Carolina remains a 6.5-point favorite over Iowa with the game total dipping to 159.5 points.
Almost go time
10 minutes until tip-off
We’re looking at a 3:13 official tip-off time.
Last minute Caitlin Clark prop bets
No player in either the men’s or women’s NCAA Tournaments has been more popular among bettors than Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Here is a list of Caitlin Clark props available at BetMGM for today’s championship game against the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks:
- Points O/U 31.5
- Rebounds: O/U 7.5
- Assists: O/U 9.5
- Three-Pointers Made: O/U 5.5
- To Score 30+ Points: Yes (-150)
- To Score 35+ Points: Yes (+175)
- To Score 40+ Points: Yes (+425)
For more from Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper), Jay Croucher (@croucherJD), and the NBC Sports betting team, visit nbcsports.com/betting and enjoy Bet the EDGE right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Gamecocks on the red carpet
Hawkeyes have arrived
The University of Iowa and the University of South Carolina have each had their fair share of famous attendees. Here are just a handful of those distinguished students.
Iowa
- Former NBC News anchor and author Tom Brokaw
- 4-time Academy Award winner Charles Guggenheim
- Actor Gene Wilder
- 7-time Grammy winner Al Jarreau
- American playwright Tennessee Williams
- Writer/Director Joe Russo
- Actor Ashton Kutcher
South Carolina
- Hootie and the Blowfish – Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld
- MSNBC’s Rita Cosby
- NBA Hall of Famer Alex English (no player scored more in the 1980s)
- William “Hootie” Johnson – former Chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club
- Robert C. McNair – owner of the Houston Texans
Get ready for Monday night’s championship game between the UConn Huskies and the Purdue Boilermakers with Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick. Bet the Edge is your source for the day in sports betting. Get all of Jay and Drew’s insight weekdays at 6 a.m. ET right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
Putting the Iowa-UConn ratings into perspective
Iowa-UConn drew 14.2 million viewers. That’s more than every NBA Finals game and every World Series game of the last four years. Caitlin Clark’s star power is incredible.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) April 6, 2024
Caitlin Clark, Hawkeyes 6.5-point underdogs to Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks
The Iowa-UConn matchup in the Final Four was the most bet women’s event in BetMGM history, surpassing Iowa-LSU in Monday’s Elite 8.
The momentum behind Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes continues today according to BetMGM’s Director of Trading, Matt Cosgriff: “Bettors are backing Caitlin Clark and Iowa to upset South Carolina in the National Championship game. Iowa has been the sportsbook’s biggest liability all season on the futures market. South Carolina winning would be a positive result for BetMGM.”
Clark and the Hawkeyes are 6.5-point underdogs to Dawn Staley’s Gamecocks, with the Game Total sitting at 160.5 points.
Bet the Edge is your source for the day in sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6 a.m. ET right here or wherever you get your podcasts.
A fitting finale for a historic season
Just days after the Iowa vs. UConn Final Four matchup — headlined by Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers — became the most-watched basketball game ever on ESPN (14.2 million viewers), Clark and the Hawkeyes are set to battle a dominant South Carolina squad for the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship.
Iowa ultimately topped UConn, 71-69, after a controversial late foul call.
For their part, the Gamecocks easily beat NC State, 78-59, on Friday to advance to the championship.
Women’s basketball has been headline news all season thanks to a myriad of stars and stories enthralling fans. Clark has been at the center, having become the NCAA Division I’s all-time leading scorer, male or female, and selling out squads at every arena she plays in.
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