If you were anywhere near a television in April 2024, you probably felt the electricity. The air was different. South Carolina vs Iowa wasn't just a basketball game; it was a cultural collision. On one side, you had the "Final Boss" of college basketball—Dawn Staley’s undefeated Gamecocks. On the other, the most famous collegiate athlete on the planet, Caitlin Clark, trying to put a ring on a career that had already broken every record in the book.
People love a good revenge story. Honestly, that’s exactly what this was. A year prior, Iowa had stunned an undefeated South Carolina team in the Final Four. It was a massive upset. The Gamecocks didn't forget. They spent an entire year stewing on that loss, rebuilding a roster that lost all five starters, and somehow coming back even stronger.
When they finally met again in Cleveland for the National Championship, the stakes couldn't have been higher. Iowa wanted immortality. South Carolina wanted redemption.
The First Quarter Firework Show
Caitlin Clark came out like she was shot from a cannon. There's no other way to describe it. In the first ten minutes, she looked like she might score 60. She dropped 18 points in the first quarter alone—a championship game record. She was hitting logo threes and driving through traffic as if the South Carolina defenders were statues.
At one point, Iowa was up 20-9. You could feel the "here we go again" vibes creeping into the arena.
But Dawn Staley didn't panic. She’s seen it all. She basically told her team to breathe. South Carolina’s depth is their greatest weapon, and they started to lean on it heavily. While Clark was carrying the entire weight of the Hawkeyes on her shoulders, the Gamecocks started rotating fresh bodies at her.
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How the Gamecocks Flipped the Script
The second quarter is where the tide shifted. It wasn't one big explosion, but rather a slow, physical grind. South Carolina is just... big. There’s no better word for it. They have height, they have muscle, and they have an endless bench.
Kamilla Cardoso, the 6-foot-7 Brazilian center, was a problem Iowa simply couldn't solve. She finished the game with 15 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. She didn't just play; she patrolled the paint like a hawk. Every time Iowa tried to get a layup, Cardoso was there.
The Bench Disparity
If you want to know why South Carolina won, look at the bench points. This is a stat that will make your eyes pop:
- South Carolina Bench: 37 points
- Iowa Bench: 0 points
You read that right. Zero. Tessa Johnson, a freshman who usually doesn't get the headlines, came off the bench and scored 19 points. She was the leading scorer for the Gamecocks. While Iowa was relying on their starters to play nearly the full 40 minutes, South Carolina was throwing waves of future WNBA talent at them.
The Raven Johnson Factor
We have to talk about Raven Johnson. In the 2023 loss, there was a viral moment where Caitlin Clark waved off Raven, basically daring her to shoot because she didn't respect her jumper. It was a moment that "the internet" turned into a meme, and it hurt.
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Fast forward to 2024. Raven Johnson became the "clamped-down" defender. She hounded Clark for 94 feet. After that 18-point first-quarter explosion, Clark only managed 12 points for the rest of the game. Raven forced her into tough shots and back-breaking turnovers.
There was a specific play late in the second quarter where Raven stripped the ball from Clark at midcourt and took it for a layup. That was the moment the momentum officially left the building for Iowa. South Carolina went into the half up 49-46, and they never really looked back.
Why the Rebounding Margin Mattered
Iowa plays a beautiful style of basketball—fast, transition-heavy, lots of threes. But you can't run if you don't have the ball. South Carolina absolutely decimated them on the glass. The final rebounding tally was 51 to 29.
The Gamecocks grabbed 19 offensive rebounds. That’s 19 times Iowa played great defense for 25 seconds, only to have South Carolina grab the miss and put it back in. It’s soul-crushing. Ashlyn Watkins and Cardoso were just too physical for Hannah Stuelke and Addison O'Grady to handle for four quarters.
The Final Score and the Legacy
The game ended 87-75. South Carolina finished 38-0.
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It’s hard to overstate how difficult it is to go undefeated in modern college sports. One bad night, one cold shooting performance, and it's over. But the Gamecocks were inevitable. Dawn Staley now has three national titles, putting her in the same conversation as the all-time greats like Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma.
For Iowa, the loss was bittersweet. Caitlin Clark ended her career with 3,951 points—the most in Division I history, men’s or women’s. She didn't get the ring, but she changed the sport forever. The TV ratings for this game actually beat the men’s final. Let that sink in.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking back at the South Carolina vs Iowa rivalry, here are the real lessons to take away:
- Depth wins championships: You can have the best player on the floor, but if your bench contributes zero points in a title game, your margin for error is non-existent.
- Defense wins on the second try: Staley’s adjustment to use multiple defenders (Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, and even MiLaysia Fulwiley) to exhaust Clark was a masterclass in coaching.
- Size still dominates: In an era of "small ball" and three-point shooting, 51 rebounds and 30 second-chance points are still the most reliable way to win a high-stakes game.
Watch the full replay of the second quarter if you want to see exactly how the Gamecocks' defensive pressure broke Iowa's rhythm. If you're following the WNBA now, pay attention to how Cardoso and Clark's college rivalry has transitioned into the pro game; the physical battles in the paint and the perimeter pressure remain the blueprint for stopping high-volume scorers.
Next Steps:
- Review the box score of the 2024 Championship to see the minute-by-minute impact of the Gamecocks' bench.
- Compare the 2023 and 2024 matchups to see the specific tactical changes Dawn Staley implemented in her defensive schemes.
- Track the shooting percentages of Caitlin Clark in both games to understand the "Raven Johnson effect" on her efficiency.