CLEVELAND — Iowa fell to South Carolina 87-75 in the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, falling just short of the national title for the second consecutive season.
Caitlin Clark's singular collegiate career ended with a slew of records but not the one title she hoped to bring to Iowa.
The NCAA's all-time leading scorer poured in a game-high 30 points in Sunday's national championship against unbeaten South Carolina, including a record 18 in the opening quarter.
The 22-year-old cooled off a bit from there, however, as the Gamecocks pulled away for an 87-75 victory, making the Hawkeyes the national runner-up for a second straight season.
Clark's first-quarter offensive outburst helped Iowa jump out to a 20-9 lead in the first quarter and a 27-20 lead at the end of the first quarter, but South Carolina stormed back in the second quarter to take a 49-46 lead at halftime.
The Gamecocks' size and depth allowed them to control the game the rest of the way, as they outrebounded the Hawkeyes 51-29.
In addition to Clark's 30 points, Kate Martin finished with 16 points, Syndey Affolter scored 12 points and Hannah Stuelke contributed 11 points.
Iowa finishes the season with a 34-4 record and a National Runner-Up finish.
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