The win also avenges South Carolina’s loss to Iowa in last year’s Final Four, the team’s only loss that season. The Gamecocks are now 109-3 in the last three seasons.
For the second year in a row, Iowa and Clark have come up short in the national championship game, losing to LSU a year ago.
This was Clark’s final game in an Iowa unform before heading to the WNBA, where she is expected to be the top pick in the draft April 15. Clark finished with a game-high 30 points.
South Carolina freshman Tessa Johnson, coming off the bench, had a career-high 19 points. Senior center Kamilla Cardoso, also WNBA-bound, pulled in a career-high 17 rebounds to go with 15 points.
Cardoso, who also had three blocked shots, was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
“Kamilla Cardoso was not going to let us lose a game in the NCAA tournament,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said.
Te-Hina Paopao had 14 points, while Chloe Kitts added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
South Carolina is now 3-0 in national championship games. The other titles came in 2017 and 2022, all under Staley.
On Sunday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, the best team beat the team that had the best player. Clark, despite all the accolades she’s received, will leave Iowa as a two-time national runner-up.
With 20.2 seconds to go, Clark was subbed off the court and received a resounding ovation from the crowd.
“For me, just the emotions will probably hit me over the next couple days,” Clark said. “I don’t have much time to sit around and sulk and be upset. I don’t think that’s what I’m about either.
“Yeah, I’m sad we lost this game, but I’m also so proud of myself, I’m so proud of my teammates, I’m so proud of this program. There’s a lot to be proud of.
“But there’s going to be tears. It is sad this is all over, and this is the last time I’m going to put on an Iowa jersey.
“I think just reflecting back and soaking in everything that I was able to do, because basically anybody other than me and Coach (Lisa) Bluder never thought this was possible.”
Staley, while being interviewed by ESPN after the win, could not immediately find words and was overcome
by emotion. Later, during the celebration on court, she made a point to address Clark.
