"Ring us": South Carolina star Chloe Kitts has ecstatic reaction as Dawn Staley's crew bag victory against Caitlin Clark's Iowa
The party is on in Cleveland as the South Carolina Gamecocks have cemented their undefeated season with a victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA women's national championship game. Chloe Kitts was among the first to give an inside look at the celebrations.
The sophomore had a larger role to play this year and was instrumental in the Big Dance, recording a double-double in the 87-75 victory.
Sharing a clip from the ceremonies on the court on Instagram, Kitts stood alongside her teammates in a joyous mood.
"Ring us," Kitts captioned the video.
How did South Carolina overcome Iowa?
One defensive adjustment by coach Dawn Staley turned out to be the difference maker in the national championship game.
For the Gamecocks, Raven Johnson and Kamilla Cardoso were the only two to cross the 30-minute threshold. For Iowa, three players tallied 40 minutes, with Addison O'Grady and Kylie Feuerbach the only players to get playing time off the bench.
Cardoso, as the team's defensive ace, was necessary to keep the lethal Iowa offense in check.
Speaking of defense, Raven Johnson turned out to be that defensive masterstroke by Staley. After an 18-point first quarter for Caitlin Clark, which saw the Iowa Hawkeyes jump out to a 27-20 lead, Staley put Johnson to guard the Iowa star.
The results were immediate, with Clark tallying just three points in the second quarter, where SC retook the lead, going into the break 49-46.
A balanced scoring effort for Dawn Staley's game plan saw four players tally double-digit points, with Tessa Johnson leading the team off the bench with 19 points. Chloe Kitts added 11 points and 10 rebounds in just 17 minutes.
Kamilla Cardoso also had a double-double with 15 points and 17 rebounds. She won the Most Outstanding Player award as well. Te-Hina Paopao was the other starter to break single digits, going for 14 points on 3-4 shooting from the 3-point arc.
With the victory, the Gamecocks became the first team to have a perfect season since UConn nearly a decade ago.
Where do you think this South Carolina squad ranks among the all-time college basketball teams? Let us know in the comments below.