The tournament's MVP was South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso, who scored 15 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in today's title game. That box score-filling line on the greatest stage follows two other double-doubles earlier in the tournament.
Cardoso ended the tournament with 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 64% from the floor, making him too much for Iowa to handle.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley remarked after the game, "Kamilla Cardoso was not going to let us lose a game in the NCAA tournament," referencing her WNBA prospects.
Cardoso finishes her career with two national titles at South Carolina and WBCA defensive player of the year. She and title game fighter Caitlin Clark are projected top-five WNBA draft picks.
Since a 2021 Supreme Court ruling allowed athletes to commercialize their reputation and pursue “education-related benefits,” the federal government has provided no framework or safeguards.
About 30 states have approved name, image, and likeness (NIL) legislation, and court judgments have generated problems about what institutions may and cannot do in the recruitment process.
Today, Iowa and phenom Caitlin Clark will play unbeaten South Carolina in a dream NCAA final game. This season has brought women's collegiate basketball to new heights. Clark, who broke scoring records and became a national treasure, will try to win the NCAA title she missed last season to LSU.
It's an opportunity for the Gamecocks to avenge their only loss last season, 77-73 to Clark in the playoffs. Iowa halted South Carolina's 42-game winning streak with a Final Four-record 41 points from Clark. The Iowa Hawkeyes and South Carolina Gamecocks will play for the championship at 3 p.m. ET.
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