WATCH: 3x champ Dawn Staley dances her excitement away as South Carolina lifts national championship trophy

South Carolina shattered Iowa's and Caitlin Clark's dream of securing their first women's NCAA championship by sealing an 87-75 win. Under the guidance of head coach Dawn Staley, the Gamecocks have now won their third NCAA title, adding to their previous title glory in 2017 and 2022.

In a viral video circulating on X (formerly Twitter), Staley was seen celebrating the victory by joyously dancing with the championship trophy in hand.

Despite Caitlin Clark's heroic efforts, who led the game by scoring 30 points, Iowa fell short in front of South Carolina's collective effort. Clark lacked support from her teammates as she was a lone warrior on the court for Iowa.

South Carolina entered the tournament as a No. 1 seed in the Albany 1 region. They kickstart their campaign with a commanding 91-39 victory over Presbyterian. This was followed by an 88-41 win over North Carolina in round two.

In Sweet 16, the Gamecocks secured a hard-fought 79-75 victory against Indiana. After this, they defeated Oregon State (70-58) in the Elite Eight, followed by defeating NC State (78-59) in the Final Four.

After all, South Carolina had a very successful 2023-24 season, as they concluded the season by staying undefeated. They had an amazing conference record of 16-0 and an overall record of 38-0. They also clinched the SEC Tournament title by defeating LSU 79-72.

When they clinched the title in 2022, South Carolina defeated Louisville in the Final Four (72-59) and ultimately defeated UConn in the championship game (64-49).

Similarly, in 2017, their journey was nothing short of a challenge as they defeated Stanford 62-53 in the Final Four, followed by a championship victory against Mississippi State (67-55).

Star players for South Carolina in the victory against Iowa

NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament - National Championship

South Carolina emerged as the women's NCAA Tournament champions with the collective efforts of various players throughout the tournament. The matchup against Iowa was a solid example of a strong team game.

Their key player, Kamilla Cardoso, had 15 points, 17 rebounds and two assists in her 31-minute play. However, she was not the highest point scorer for South Carolina, as Tessa Johnson scored 19 points and secured four rebounds and one assist.

Their efforts were complemented by 11 points from Chloe Kitts and 14 points from Te-Hina Paopao. Moreover, MiLaysia Fulwiley also contributed nine points, four rebounds and four assists in 18 minutes.

Who do you think was the best player for South Carolina against Iowa in the title game? Let us know in the comments section.