Through an 87-75 win yesterday, the South Carolina Gamecocks handed Iowa Hawkeyes their second straight NCAA Final loss. During the title game, Caitlin Clark did score 30 points, but was held to 10/28 shooting from the field. In this wake, on his Nightcap show, Shannon Sharpe and his co-host Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson hailed South Carolina guard Raven Johnson for locking down Clark.
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During the opening quarter, the Hawkeyes guard had 18 points, but then Johnson stymied her flow. Sharpe recalled how during the 2023 NCAA Semi-Finals, Clark had said that she “wasn’t worried” about Johnson and kept torching the Gamecocks en route to 41 points. However, this time around, Johnson was seeking revenge.
“Raven Johnson, last year, she was the young lady, that Caitlin Clark, if you remember watching the game last year, she was like, ‘I ain’t even worried about you’. She[Raven Johnson] said, ‘I was on a revenge tour’. After the first quarter, she was the primary defender on Caitlin Clark. They made it very very difficult,” Sharpe told Ochocinco.
Then Unc Sharpe pointed out how the Hawkeyes were massively outdone in terms of size. He highlighted how the presence of 6’7” Kamilla Cordoso, 6’2” Chloe Kitts, and 6’3” Ashlyn Watkins gave the 2024 NCAA champs a massive rebounding advantage. This was a correct observation as the Dawn Staley coached squad did have a decisive 51-29 rebounding advantage.
Since the squad also had an 18–7 offensive rebounding edge, the Hawkeyes couldn’t arrest the flow of second-chance points. This was another coaching masterclass from Staley. However, despite being on the winning side, the NCAA legend gave a fitting tribute to WNBA-bound Caitlin Clark.
Dawn Staley showered a ton of praise on the Hawkeyes legend
As her team was celebrating their third title, coach Staley gave a ton of credit to Caitlin Clark. She recognized her role in lifting up Women’s college basketball. The Gamecocks HC acknowledged the way she had carried the “heavy load” for Iowa throughout the tournament. She also predicted that the future Indiana Fever guard will carry the WNBA to bigger heights. In summary, she showcased admiration for one of the best NCAA hoopers of all time.
“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport. She carried a heavy load for our sport and it’s not gonna stop on our collegiate tour. When she is the #1 pick in the WNBA draft, she’s gonna lift that league up as well. So Caitlin Clark if you are out there, you are one of the GOATs of our game and we appreciate you,” Dawn Staley stated
Thus, amidst intense scrutiny and criticism among women hooping legends, Gamecocks HC was highly appreciative of the record-breaking guard. She has first-hand seen the immense contributions of the decorated NCAA star. The former Charlotte Sting guard is keenly watching what the 22-year-old accomplishes on the pro level.
