All Roads Lead To Cleveland: 2024 Women’s Final Four
By LaQuita Thompson
Cleveland, OH – College women’s basketball popularity has grown over the past couple of years and it is due to the outstanding talent that is taking over the sports world. Never in the history of sports has the women’s viewing out numbered the men’s. This will be the second year that the women’s final four had over 18 million total viewers and a sell out crowd of 17,000 fans. For decades we have been inundated with men’s basketball players whose names ring in our ears and hypnotizes our wildest imaginations with their creativity and athletic abilities on the court. However, women’s college basketball is quickly changing the landscape of the sport and capturing the attention of fans nationwide. Stars like MiLaysia Fulwiley and Caitlin Clark have brought a new level of skill and excitement to the women’s game. Their flashy crossovers, no-look passes, and clutch shooting have crowds on their feet. The fast-paced, high-flying style of play of these women has drawn in viewers who previously only watched the men’s game. TV ratings for the women’s NCAA tournament continue to break records, with the championship regularly surpassing 10 million viewers. Games are sold out with loud, energetic crowds filling arenas to capacity. For the first time, young girls have role models like Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers and Kamilla Cardoso who inspire them to pursue greatness in basketball. The larger-than-life personas of female stars and their captivating play on the court has transformed women’s basketball into a marquee attraction. College programs are also investing more into their women’s teams, with top recruits fiercely pursued and state-of-the-art facilities built. Women’s basketball is entering a new era where the stars of the women’s game finally receive the recognition and fandom they deserve.
The coaches leading these stellar women’s college basketball programs deserve immense credit for cultivating such successful teams and transforming players into superstars. Geno Auriemma has cemented his status as a legend through his decades-long tenure as head coach of the UConn Huskies since 1985. With 11 national championship wins under his belt, he is one of the winningest coaches ever, propelling the Huskies to utter dominance. His leadership and basketball acumen are unparalleled. Meanwhile, Lisa Bluder has led the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2000, recently making the monumental move of recruiting Caitlin Clark, a once-in-a-generation talent who has rocketed the Hawkeyes to new heights. Bluder’s strong leadership and keen eye for talent have guided the Hawkeyes to consecutive playoff appearances and two straight Final Four trips. Her impact is undeniable. Finally, Wes Moore has spent the last decade transforming NC State into a perennial contender, leading them to the NCAA Tournament every single year of his tenure. His teams exude his trademark intensity and relentless will to win. These coaches pour their hearts and souls into empowering the next generation of women basketball superstars. Their passion and dedication ripple through their programs, elevating players to greatness. Women’s college basketball would not be where it is today without these brilliant leaders at the helm.
Last but certainly not the least is America’s favorite super star coach Dawn Staley, 16th season as the head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team. Coach Staley’s illustrious basketball resume speaks for itself – as a former WNBA player, she is a Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer, 3-time Olympic gold medal winner with Team USA as a player, and 1-time gold medal winner as head coach. Her talent and leadership were recognized in 2013 when she was inducted into the prestigious Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. With this type of unparalleled basketball pedigree, it is no wonder that Staley has been able to recruit and build a perennial powerhouse women’s program at South Carolina. Staley is one of the highest paid Black female coaches in all of sports, endorsed by luxury brands in a way no other coach in the women’s game is, and carries a positive aura that exudes inspiration and motivation for female hoopers all around the world. She has mentored and developed notable WNBA players like A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, and Zia Cooke during their collegiate years playing under her leadership at South Carolina. What Coach Dawn Staley has accomplished and continues to achieve as a true ambassador for women’s basketball is remarkable, and will undoubtedly open more doors for women in basketball and beyond. Her legacy of excellence on and off the court makes Dawn Staley a beloved American sports icon.
The road to the final four this year was a spectacular show to say the least, with plenty of unexpected twists and turns along the way. Several of the top seeds fell early, unable to live up to their high expectations. Stanford, a perennial powerhouse, saw their championship dreams dashed when they were stunned by an underdog in the Elite 8. LSU, a strong SEC team, suffered a major upset at the hands of Middle Tennessee State, a scrappy mid-major looking to make a name for themselves. And the University of Texas, despite nabbing the no. 1 overall seed, couldn’t survive a tough second round match-up, abruptly ending their season.
While some favorites faltered, other teams rose to the occasion behind standout individual performances. Audi Crook of Iowa State cemented herself as the breakout star of the tournament, lighting up the scoreboard game after game. Her epic 40-point outburst against Maryland will surely go down in history as one of the all-time great tournament showings. Players like Crook demonstrated that heroes can emerge from any school when the stakes are high.
The unpredictable upsets combined with the emergence of new stars made for an unforgettable Road to the Final Four. Every game was hard-fought, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. With so much chaos and excitement happening in earlier rounds, the eventual winner, South Carolina Gamecocks, undoubtedly earned their spot at the pinnacle of women’s college basketball this year.
Caitlin Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes entered the NCAA women’s basketball tournament with a singular focus – to send their superstar senior off with a storybook ending by capturing the national championship in her final collegiate game before declaring for the 2024 WNBA draft. The electric point guard had already etched her name in the record books with her dazzling playmaking and sharpshooting abilities over the past three seasons in Iowa City, and now she was determined to add the ultimate prize to her resumé. Meanwhile, top-seeded South Carolina was looking to punctuate their wire-to-wire season as the nation’s #1 team by completing the “revenge tour” and avenging last year’s heartbreaking loss. The undefeated Gamecocks were led by intimidating interior force Kamilla Cardoso, who was hungry to cement her own legacy after falling just short the previous season. The stage was set for a scintillating showdown between two of women’s college basketball’s premier programs. Iowa punched their ticket to the championship game with a thrilling win over perennial powerhouse UConn, capped by a controversial foul call that sent Clark to the line for the game-winning free throws with seconds left. South Carolina coasted to a double-digit victory over NC State, flexing their muscles and showing no signs of weakness heading into the final. With the whole college basketball world watching, the championship clash between Clark’s scrappy Hawkeyes and Cardoso’s juggernaut Gamecocks was sure to be an instant classic filled with star power and high drama.
The highly anticipated women’s NCAA basketball championship between South Carolina and Iowa lived up to all the hype and then some. South Carolina started the game looking flat, struggling to find their rhythm on offense. Meanwhile, Iowa came out firing on all cylinders, feeding off the deafening roar of their fans who packed the arena. The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 11 point lead in the first quarter as South Carolina looked rattled.
As the second quarter started, the energy on the court began to shift. Led by their freshman guard Tessa Johnson, South Carolina started to settle in and play their brand of stifling defense. Johnson nailed a big three pointer to get the Gamecocks going. On the other end, Kamilla Cardoso, South Carolina’s 6’7″ center, asserted her dominance in the paint. Swatting shots and controlling the glass, Cardoso made it nearly impossible for Iowa to score inside. The refs made several questionable calls, echoing the controversy from the previous night’s semifinals. Despite that, South Carolina clawed their way back into the game behind the inspired play of Cardoso. She finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocks – neutralizing Iowa’s biggest strength. By halftime, South Carolina had regained their synergy, setting up a thrilling second half showdown between the tournament’s two best teams.
Coming out of the locker room after halftime, South Carolina decided it was time to seize control of the game and cement their destiny as national champions. Their game plan in the second half displayed incredible discipline, composure, and most importantly, an elite team attack on both ends of the court. Raven Johnson was a menace on defense, picking Caitlin Clark’s pocket multiple times and then executing perfectly on offense with multiple transition layups. Johnson spoke after the game about her motivation after going viral last year when Clark dismissively waved her off in their Final Four Semi-Final matchup. She was laser-focused on stopping Clark, holding her to just 3 points in the second quarter. While Iowa’s Hannah Stuelke and Kate Martin tried valiantly to keep the Hawkeyes in it, South Carolina’s dominance became undeniable.
The Gamecocks dominated the glass, protected the paint fiercely, and got crucial buckets from their role players. Sharpshooters Te-Hina Paopao and Bree Hall knocked down perimeter jumpers, while Saania Feagin provided a spark off the bench with 6pts, 4 rebs. But the undisputed player of the game was freshman guard Tessa Johnson. She was the lifeline that kept South Carolina’s offense flowing, hitting clutch threes and midrange shots to maintain and expand the Gamecocks’ lead. Johnson poured in 19 points off the bench while Iowa got zero bench points. Her performance rightfully earned her a spot on the All-Tournament team. South Carolina finished off their perfect season emphatically with the national championship. Head coach Dawn Staley and her staff coached a masterful game, guiding their team to play like champions and capture the trophy. Kamilla Cardoso was named Most Outstanding Player for her incredible play all tournament long. In her post-game press conference, the classy Staley made sure to praise Caitlin Clark for carrying women’s basketball and wished her well on her path to the WNBA. It was a total team effort that showed why South Carolina was the best team all season long.
Congratulations to the South Carolina Gamecocks the 2024 Women’s Basketball National Champions!!!!! A perfect season to remember.
Comments