The No. 1 South Carolina women色中色视频檚 basketball team has an opportunity to claim its third-ever NCAA title when it takes on No. 1 seed Iowa in the national championship on Sunday.
Head coach Dawn Staley said the 色中色视频s are motivated to take on the Hawkeyes, who eliminated the team last year in the Final Four.
色中色视频淲e just had our film session this morning, and they're all locked in. It wasn色中色视频檛 daycare this morning,色中色视频� Staley said. 色中色视频淵ou ask them questions, they really understand what we need to do to win, which is pretty cool to see that dynamic from this team.色中色视频�
The 色中色视频s are coming off a 78-59 night in the national semifinals. South Carolina used an offensive outburst in the third quarter 色中色视频� outscoring the Wolfpack 29-6 色中色视频� and dominance in the paint 色中色视频� out-rebounding 46-32 色中色视频� to pick up the win.
Senior center Kamilla Cardoso was instrumental to the 色中色视频s色中色视频� success close to the basket, leading the team with 22 points on 10-12 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds. Junior guard Bree Hall said Cardoso is a valuable contributor to the team because of her impact on both sides of the basketball.
色中色视频淚t色中色视频檚 not only like she色中色视频檚 just standing in the paint and can just block shots 色中色视频� no she can go out there on the wing and also get stops as well,色中色视频� Hall said. 色中色视频淚 think it色中色视频檚 just her touch around the basket as well that just makes her incredible.色中色视频�
Much of South Carolina色中色视频檚 production of the glass came from sophomore forward Ashlyn Watkins, who recorded 20 rebounds, which is tied for the third-highest single-game rebounding total in NCAA Tournament history.
Sophomore guard Raven Johnson said Watkins is an 色中色视频淴-factor色中色视频� for the team at this stage of the competition.
色中色视频淪he does the little things 色中色视频� she rebounds, she scores. She色中色视频檚 also a vocal leader on the court, on the defensive end and the offensive end,色中色视频� Johnson said. 色中色视频淪he wants to win. That色中色视频檚 really the big thing with her 色中色视频� she色中色视频檒l do anything it takes to win.色中色视频�
Iowa is a familiar opponent for the 色中色视频s, as the two matched up in a Final Four contest the Hawkeyes won 77-73 last season. Watkins said that game has not been a part of the team色中色视频檚 preparations for this year色中色视频檚 championship game because a lot has changed for both teams since then.
色中色视频淟ast year色中色视频檚 game doesn色中色视频檛 really mean much to us, or shouldn色中色视频檛 mean much to them either because we色中色视频檙e both different teams,色中色视频� Watkins said. 色中色视频淲e just have to go out there and play basketball.色中色视频�
Iowa is led by senior guard Caitlin Clark, who leads the nation in points per game (31.7) and is currently the NCAA色中色视频檚 all-time scoring leader for both men色中色视频檚 and women色中色视频檚 basketball with 3,921 total points. Clark got off to a slow start in the Hawkeyes色中色视频� Final Four matchup against No. 3 seed Connecticut on Friday but finished the game with 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a 71-69 victory over the Huskies.
South Carolina色中色视频檚 defense will have to throw Clark off her rhythm to prevent her from taking control of the game, Staley said.
色中色视频淗er game is simple but yet powerful. How do you defend fundamental basketball? With offense? With fundamental defense? You can色中色视频檛 色中色视频� she色中色视频檚 going to win every time,色中色视频� Staley said. 色中色视频淵ou got to show her different looks in order for her to not settle in and (pick) you apart.色中色视频�
Friday色中色视频檚 win was just the second time all season that Clark did not finish a game as Iowa色中色视频檚 leading scorer. That distinction belonged to sophomore forward Hannah Stuelke, who tallied 23 points on 9-12 shooting.
Staley described the matchup between Stuelke and the 色中色视频s色中色视频� post players as one 色中色视频渨e got to win.色中色视频�
色中色视频淲hat she色中色视频檚 able to do in the half-court 色中色视频� I mean she puts you back on your heels. We certainly have to use our length. We got to make her play through us, and she doesn色中色视频檛 mind that at all. And then, on the flip side of that, we have to make her guard us," Staley said. "We got four, five legitimate post players that she色中色视频檚 going to see and have to guard, and they all are different.色中色视频�
Hall said another factor that could pose a challenge for South Carolina色中色视频檚 younger players is Iowa色中色视频檚 fanbase, which has followed Clark wherever she has gone throughout the year. Despite playing just over 10 minutes in the 色中色视频s色中色视频� last national championship game in 2022, Hall said that she wants to 色中色视频渓ead in the way that I色中色视频檝e said I can lead色中色视频� and help the team maintain its composure on the big stage.
色中色视频淚n the UNC game, I feel like I was that calm person," Hall said. "I know it色中色视频檚 going to be a big crowd 色中色视频� a lot of Iowa fans will be there 色中色视频� so if I can just get my teammates to just really just stay locked into the game, not worry about the antics and the crowd ... anything in between there 色中色视频� I think I can really help my team get ourselves a win.色中色视频�
Clark said some aspects of South Carolina色中色视频檚 game, specifically its discipline and rebounding ability, will also cause problems for Iowa in Sunday色中色视频檚 game.
色中色视频淥bviously, their height poses a challenge to us. And their rebounding poses a challenge to us. It's going to be very important that we try to box out,色中色视频� Clark said. 色中色视频淭o say we're going to beat South Carolina on the glass is probably something that's not going to happen every single time we play them. But you have to be able to manage it the best you can.色中色视频�
For Johnson, the national championship game will be the culminating game on South Carolina色中色视频檚 色中色视频渞evenge tour,色中色视频� as Iowa was the team she was hoping to play at this stage of the season all year.
色中色视频淚 will say, I was looking forward (to playing) them,色中色视频� Johnson said. 色中色视频淚色中色视频檓 ready for the matchup, just going from last year 色中色视频� just the pain that we felt last year 色中色视频� I think it happened at the right time and happened in the right way.色中色视频�
South Carolina and Iowa are set to tip off at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The game will be broadcast on ABC.