With powerhouse South Carolina unexpectedly trailing Iowa by 11 points early, coach Dawn Staley turned to an unlikely source – freshman guard Tessa Johnson – to spark the Gamecocks’ comeback en route to an 87-75 national championship victory and perfect 36-0 season.
Johnson, who averaged just 6 points per game, erupted for a team-high 19 points including three 3-pointers to lead South Carolina’s second-half takeover. Her scoring outburst off the bench was instrumental in overcoming AP Player of the Year Caitlin Clark’s 30-point performance for Iowa.
The Hawkeyes raced out to a 20-9 lead behind Clark’s red-hot start from all over the court. But the Gamecocks’ top-ranked defense steadied itself, with Johnson providing a huge boost by scoring in transition off a pair of steals before halftime.
Out of the break, reserve guard Chloe Kitts drilled two quick baskets as South Carolina took its first lead at 55-46, forcing an Iowa timeout. The Gamecocks never looked back, smothering the Hawkeyes on the glass with a 24-11 second-half rebounding edge led by Aliyah Boston’s career-high 17 boards.
While Clark starred, she got little consistent scoring support. In contrast, South Carolina saw seven players make at least three field goals in a balanced attack, with Te-Hina Paopao burying three timely 3-pointers.
The unlikely hero was undoubtedly Johnson, whose 19 points off the bench topped her entire NCAA tournament scoring output entering the night. The freshman stepped up when her team needed a spark most.
“I thought Tessa Johnson played her tail off,” Staley said. “She’s been doing that for us all year…I’m just happy that she was able to put her stamp on this national championship game.”
Thanks to Johnson’s heroics and South Carolina’s stifling team defense, the Gamecocks capped off the unbeaten dream season emphatically with their second national title in three years under the legendary Staley.