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South Carolina’s perfect season falls short to Caitlin Clark, Iowa in Final Four
By Ethan Stone
Published:
All good things must come to an end. After more than a calendar year filled with nothing but winning, 42 in a row to be exact, South Carolina women’s basketball fell Friday night to an explosive Iowa offense, 77-73.
Like every other team this season, South Carolina had little answer for Iowa phenom Caitlin Clark. She seemed to have the ball every possession while South Carolina doubled her and she still dropped 41 points with 6 rebounds and 8 assists. That’s just hard to beat.
South Carolina also suffered from some rough rebounding luck at the end. Despite winning on the offensive boards 26-5, Iowa pulled down a massive rebound off a miss with under a minute remaining. Secure that rebound and the Gamecocks would’ve had a chance to tie or win on the final possession. Instead, they got stuck in a free throw battle and ran out of time.
FINAL | USC 73, IOWA 77
An incredible season full of firsts, and so many memories. Thank you for being with us every step of the way FAMS ❤️ pic.twitter.com/pTQDytZAeb
— South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 1, 2023
Zia Cooke went out swinging for South Carolina. The senior guard scored a team-high 24 points on 11-21 shooting with 8 rebounds. This may not be her last ride, however, because she has 1 season of eligibility remaining due to the Covid-19 eligibility rule, though her draft stock is rising considerably.
All in all, having just 1 loss and a Final Four appearance constitutes a pretty strong season in Columbia. And no doubt, the Gamecocks will be back very soon.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
