South Carolina finishes the perfect season as National Champions

People say there’s no such thing as being perfect. However, the South Carolina Gamecocks proved that to be false as they finished their season with a 39-0 record and defeated Iowa in the National Championship. It wasn’t an easy journey to remain undefeated but the Gamecocks found a way to finish on top of each matchup. 

It was “Revenge Season” as Raven Johnson declared it to be. Last season, the Gamecocks were in a position to repeat as National Champions. However, they ran into an Iowa team that was hungry for success. The team had no answer for Caitlin Clark, who erupted for 41 points and led her team to a 77-73 victory. The loss ended South Carolina’s perfect season after going 36-0.

The 2023 offseason was a busy one for head coach Dawn Staley and her coaching staff. The question was how could they regroup? How could they replace the dominance of a low-post player like Aliyah Boston? Or an elite perimeter threat like Zia Cooke? Not to mention Brea Beal, Victaria Saxton, Laeticia Amihere, and others. The challenge was set for Coach Staley and her team to rejuvenate this roster and position as contenders again.

Some big recruits were set to come into Columbia, like sharpshooter Te-Hins Paopao, a guard who spent three seasons at Oregon and who was a two-time All-Pac-12 member. Two huge additions were freshman guards MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson. 

That wasn’t enough for the Gamecocks. Even with their new additions, many insiders didn’t believe this roster was fit to compete with the other contenders in the country. However, what separated Dawn Staley from other coaches was understanding the personnel on her team. With that being said, she trusted her hungry point guard, Raven Johnson, to be her starting point guard and extended coach on the floor. Staley also trusted the likes of Kamilla Cardoso to stand tall at the center position as well as Bree Hall to become a starting wing and Chloe Kitts to step up as the starting power forward. 

The Gamecocks were ready to go heading into the 2023-24 season. They were the No. 6 ranked team in the country and it didn’t take long for South Carolina to show the world they were still the top team. Their greatness traveled to Paris for their season opener against Notre Dame. It was a monumental moment to watch two black female head coaches, Dawn Staley and Niele Ivey, go head to head. However, it was Coach Staley who came out on top in the matchup. 

The Gamecocks dominated the Fighting Irish with a 100-71 victory behind Kamilla Cardoso and her 20 points and 15 rebounds. Throughout the game, the team saw they had something special. There was a hunger and determination they had that allowed them to play together and dominate as a collective. The momentum continued throughout the regular season. 

How South Carolina survived and thrived

Don’t get it confused! The Gamecocks were battle-tested through the course of the season. They survived non-conference play by heading to North Carolina and defeating both the Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils on their home floor. That momentum later continued as SEC play began. The date everyone had circled on their calendar was Jan. 25 as the Gamecocks had to travel to the swamps of Baton Rouge and face the LSU Tigers on their home floor. 

It was hostile territory, to say the least. This matchup meant a lot because these two teams were the last two to win a championship, showing that the NCAA runs through the SEC. While LSU got off to a great start in the first half, the Gamecocks overcame a double-digit deficit to crawl their way back into the game. 

Once again, it was Dawn Staley understanding the situation of the game. She had confidence in her wing shooter Bree Hall to step up and knock down huge 3-pointers as well as Raven Johnson making a late-game layup to put the Gamecocks ahead by five. South Carolina showed that they embraced pressure situations and could make big plays down the stretch of close games, as they came out on top in a 76-70 win on the road. 

If people didn’t believe in South Carolina at the beginning of the season, they certainly did as conference play continued. The team improved in every aspect of each game and figured out a new formula to beat teams. The Gamecocks played with togetherness and relied on one another to thrive in their role. 

The Gamecocks finished the regular season at 29-0 heading into the SEC Tournament. Now it was time to put their work to the test. South Carolina knew they were going to get the best out of their opponents and it was important that they were mentally and physically prepared for every matchup. The team caught a scare in their semifinal matchup against Tennessee. Trailing 73-71 with 1.1 seconds left, the Gamecocks set up a game plan to win with a 3-pointer. 

Who did Dawn Staley call upon for the last shot? It wasn’t Raven Johnson, Te-Hina Paopao, or Bree Hall. It was Kamilla Cardoso, a center who never made a three-pointer in her career. Somehow, Cardoso caught the ball at the top of the key and shot it with no expectations. Luckily, she made the game-winning 3-pointer to keep South Carolina in the SEC Tournament. 

The rest was history as South Carolina had a rematch with LSU. The game was chippy and even ended with pushing and shoving between both teams which led to suspensions. However, once again, it was the Gamecocks who came out on top. On this occasion, it was freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley stepping up to the plate. She led the way with 24 points and shot 66 percent from the floor while showing her ability to play under pressure. For the second straight season, the South Carolina Gamecocks were SEC Champions, while Fulwiley won Tournament MVP. The beauty of their win was carrying momentum before the NCAA Tournament began nearly two weeks later. 

The Tournament was where the Revenge Tour really began. Anyone can win during the regular season. South Carolina was undefeated in the previous regular season but fell short in the Final Four. But this season was different. The Gamecocks who were a part of last year’s team understood the pain of not finishing the job. It was to the point where Raven Johnson almost quit basketball due to the viral video of Caitlin Clark brushing her off when she had the basketball at the top of the key. Those moments sparked motivation in Dawn Staley’s team and they were destined to be the last team standing in Cleveland, Ohio. 

The Gamecocks handled business through the first two rounds, defeating Presbyterian and North Carolina by an average margin of 49.5 points. However, the bracket became more challenging as time continued. As the Gamecocks hosted the Indiana Hoosiers, the team held a 22-point lead and looked as if they were on their way to a win. Unfortunately, the Hoosiers began storming back. Eventually, it became a single-possession game after a McKenzie Holmes layup, allowing Indiana to trail 74-72. 

Big moments are where stars shine and redeem themselves. Sophomore point guard Raven Johnson made sure to not shy away from the moment. When her team needed a big shot, she made a wing 3-pointer with confidence to put the Gamecocks ahead by five and lift them to the Elight Eight.

After two big wins against Oregon State and NC State, the South Carolina Gamecocks were back in the National Championship. For Dawn Staley, this was her third trip as a head coach. She won twice in 2017 and 2022 while coaching All-Time greats in A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and several others. Before the season, she told this team that the ultimate goal was to win a championship. As the weekend began, the Gamecocks were four quarters away from reaching that goal. 

Facing Iowa was not an easy task. The Gamecocks understood that after losing to them last season in the Final Four. It was the last collegiate game for Caitlin Clark. During her senior season, she made big accomplishments as she became the All-Time leading scorer in NCAA basketball history. Many fans and insiders wanted to label Clark as the GOAT (Greatest of all Time) of Women’s College Basketball. However, the one accolade that was holding her back was a National Championship. 

Clark was motivated after Iowa fell short last season to LSU in the championship game. On this occasion, she didn’t want to let her team down. Clark erupted for 18 first-quarter points as the Hawkeyes got off to a 20-9 start to the game. As fans have seen time and time again, Clark’s hot shooting can snatch away the confidence of an opposing team. However, Dawn Staley’s team wasn’t going down without a fight. 

The beauty of Staley as a coach is allowing her players to figure things out when they’re in a slump. Sure, Iowa got off to a great start as the crowd continued to erupt. But South Carolina understood that it would be a game of runs. With that being said, the team made adjustments and slowly crawled back into the game. 

One way of having an advantage in the game was crashing the glass. Kamilla Cardoso stood tall amongst everyone else who saw the floor. There’s a famous quote from NBA championship head coach Pat Riley that said “No rebounds, no rings.” Kamilla Cardoso understood that. South Carolina was plus-22 on the boards while Cardoso snatched 15 of them herself. She made sure to catch every rebound that came her way and give the Gamecocks extra possessions to score off misses. 

Another key factor was the freshmen. When your starters are not able to contribute, having a great second unit is always beneficial. South Carolina’s bench outscored Iowa’s 37-0. The two biggest reasons behind that were once again MiLaysia Fulwiley and Tessa Johnson. Johnson’s perimeter scoring provided floor spacing for South Carolina. While attention was drawn toward players like Kamilla Cardoso, she anticipated passes for 3-pointers while also putting the ball on the floor. 

And last but not least, the biggest asset in the game was Raven Johnson’s defense on Caitlin Clark. After Clark’s terrific first quarter, South Carolina had to make adjustments. How could they take Clark out of her comfort zone? Could they play her uptight and take away her space to shoot? Raven Johnson understood the task at hand — she took the challenge of defending the best player on the floor. 

There were probably so many thoughts running through Johnson’s head. The main one was the embarrassment of being waved off last season. Some people forgive but they also don’t forget. For Johnson, it was friendly competition when going against an electrifying player like Caitlin Clark. However, it was time for revenge after last season. 

Clark scored just seven points on 27 percent shooting when defended by Johnson. Johnson also forced four turnovers and continued to be active with her ball pressure. Making Caitlin Clark work for her shot took Iowa out of rhythm. She’s the focal point in their offense that begins everything on that end of the floor. As Clark was being tightly defended by Johnson, the Gamecocks took advantage and extended their lead. 

As time was ticking, South Carolina left everything on the floor in the championship game. They remained hungry, and poised, and continued to play together. In the end, the Gamecocks ended the season as National Champions as they defeated the Hawkeyes 87-75.

The Gamecocks finished the season with a perfect 38-0 record. They are now the 10th team in women’s basketball history to have a perfect record during the season and the first since the 2015-16 UConn Huskies. Success continues to follow Dawn Staley as a head coach as she won her third NCAA Championship. Her relentless work to remain on top is always one to be highlighted and she sets a great example for the college students that are in her locker room.