built to win a national championship. you see lsu, who has been playing really high-level basketball, (soft tense music) but as i'm looking at that bracket, i was like, this is the murderer's row just for the right to get to the final four, and it seemed, it seemed daunting. (soft tense music) - [announcer] omaha! (logo whooshes) - [announcer] "full court press" is presented by state farm. like a good neighbor state farm is there. (dramatic music) - something that i would like for the fans to think about this series is just having a little bit more knowledge about everything that goes on

in the life of a college student athlete. - understanding the lives of college athletes and how we're human. there's a lotta pressure on you, but there's so much more to the athlete than seeing them play basketball two times a week. - i really hope fans will take away how great women's basketball is. i think right now we're at kind of like a turning point in the game, and i think fans will get kind of like an inside look and cool experience. - [announcer] and now, "full court press" presented by state farm. (soft tense music) - [reporter] good morning and happy march madness! - happy march madness. - march madness. - [reporter] i am so excited. - [reporter] i can't think of a more anticipated women's basketball tournament than the one we have this year. - [reporter] the ncaa basketball tournament starts this week and the biggest star this year is a woman, caitlin clark. - i can't name one college player. - not one, huh? - not one. - [rich] i'm sure you've seen caitlin clark, though, right? you've seen her. - yes! that's the only one! - a lot of, as we see, to iowa, but look at this region iowa's in. they are the top seed.

lsu, who they played the national championship game, is up here, ucla is up here. - [reporter] ucla has all of the pieces to win a national championship. - [coach] let's go! let's go! - [reporter] south carolina's the top overall seed in the women's tournament, finishing a perfect 32-0 during the regular season. (fans cheering) - tickets are almost double right now the cost that the men's are. (players shout) - tickets are punched, the brackets are set, now it's time for the real fun to begin. - madness. - let the madness begin. - [reporter] let's let the march madness begin, baby. - [podcaster] welcome to march madness. - [podcaster] welcome to merge madness, america. - [podcaster] (laughs) here you go. (dramatic music) (soft ambient music) (engine whirring) - [reporter] the opening two rounds of a thrilling march madness are complete. the women's sweet sixteen stage is set. - [reporter] this has an opportunity this weekend to be the greatest weekend for the women's tournament. - regular chocolate chip, walnut chocolate chip. - [kamilla] no brownies? - you want the brownies?

(soft tense music) - [reporter] south carolina looking to continue its pursuit of perfection. - [reporter] south carolina dominated the first two rounds. (soft tense music continues) (traffic whirring) - kamilla was ineligible for that very first game for south carolina in the tournament because of this altercation that happened in the sec championship. - the beauty of south carolina is they were so deep this year they could get away without kamilla in the first round, but she came back for redemption in the second round of the tournament. - [sportscaster] that's what you get with kamilla cardoso back in the game. gamecocks are moving on to albany to the sweet sixteen. (soft tense music continues) - those first two games verse holy cross and west virginia, i played so tight. come on! - in the first game against holy cross, caitlin did not have her normal composure. - it's a foul. it's a foul. - it was the first moment where it looked like the pressure broke her.

(whistle blowing) (crowd shouting) - [reporter] i'm a little worried about iowa right now. i think west virginia showed a good blueprint of how to frustrate caitlin clark. - [caitlin] i couldn't wait to get away from iowa city. i felt like once we made it to the sweet sixteen, it takes the pressure off of you. - [sportscaster] and the iowa hawkeyes survive the spear in the second round from west virginia and advance to the sweet sixteen. (soft tense music continues) - [reporter] ucla has its own aspirations and seems ready to take that next step. - in the second half of creighton when the season was on the line, kiki was at her best. - here comes ucla (crowd cheering) with a chance to take the lead. this is rice. got it! (crowd cheering) - [holly] she played the best complete game of her entire season to get her team to the sweet sixteen. (buzzer blaring) - game over. (crowd cheering) ucla headed back to the sweet sixteen after erasing a double-digit deficit. - [reporter] the madness comes to downtown albany

with some star power in the women's ncaa sweet sixteen and the elite eight. (tense music) (no audio) (tape hisses) - my shoes, my suit, my jersey. where's my jersey? my jersey? (zipper zipping) - people had very high expectations for south carolina. the biggest question coming in was, like, will kamilla be able to handle the energy it takes to be the centerpiece of the team? (tense music) - [sportscaster] we are underway. - out! (crowd chattering) - [sportscaster] great hustle by cardoso to get back into play! - [sportscaster] the six-foot-seven-inch cardoso gettin' down on the floor. - [sportscaster] and then it results in a tessa johnson bucket. (tense music continues) i mean, this is outstanding hustle by kamilla cardoso. come from out of bounds and get an extra possession!

- makes a huge difference when she plays well. - [kate] mm-hmm. i don't know what they're puttin' in the water down there. - [sportscaster] biggest lead of the afternoon of 49 to 32, cardoso leading the way. she has 13 points. (players chattering) - it's crazy isn't it? - yes. - like she's, like, not gonna be denied. - we had a amazing first half against indiana and maybe sometimes that's a problem. (fans shouting) - they came out at halftime and they're dancing. i was like, i know they've blown teams out in the second half all year, but are they too loose right now? - [sportscaster] as you can see, the tension is just killing south carolina right now. - [sportscaster] i'm tellin' you, this is a group that is really loose. - and it turns out they were too loose. (crowd chattering) - [cheerleaders] defense! let's go defense! (crowd and players cheer) - [sportscaster] it's a 10-nothing run for iu. - [sportscaster] dawn staley calling the play.

again, looks to get a touch for kamilla cardoso. (crowd chattering) (cheerleaders chanting) you gotta get cardoso a touch here. parrish for three. (crowd cheering) a significant lead has been whittled down to five. - i try to tell kamilla this, when she becomes a little more selfish, that's when her superpower will be on display. take your chances on you, because ultimately it helps the team. (dramatic music) - [sportscaster] dawn staley challenged her to be more aggressive. she has shown that no one can stop her. - [sportscaster] south carolina finally getting it to her down low, every time. she's calling for the ball. keep feeding the big girl. cardoso back out, johnson for three! huge! (crowd cheering) - with the game on the line, kamilla cardoso could put the team on her back and say, "i got us and i will carry us through." (crowd cheering) - [sportscaster] and the south carolina gamecocks escape with a 79-75 win. - indiana 75.

- [sportscaster] they're going to the elite eight for the fourth straight time. (players chanting) (players cheering) (kamilla speaking portuguese) (both speaking portuguese) (kamilla's sister speaking portuguese) (both speaking portuguese) - one loss in the last, like, 96 games. what's up? and they've changed so much. they're just, like... - they have a lot of depth, too. - who do i wanna play in the elite eight? - [announcer] financial professional today. feel comfortable about tomorrow. - am i allowed to say this? ucla. (chuckles) (tense music) - [reporter] what a sweet sixteen matchup. this afternoon the defending champion lsu tigers taking on two-seed ucla.

(tense music continues) - i think my confidence has gone up a lot. just over these past few weeks it's been paying off. (tense music continues) - it's about being us. what does us look like? what's one characteristic of us? - togetherness. - togetherness. - toughness. - toughness. consistent. - aggressive. - ooh, aggressive. and anybody that doesn't believe that we're tough, they would be sorely mistaken. (tense music) - [elle] we saw some of their best basketball they'd played in a while in those first two rounds. and there was just a lot of question marks swirling around which ucla was gonna show up. (tense music continues) - [sportscaster] and away we go in albany, new york. (tense music continues) and a steal by reese all the way in for two. - [sportscaster] lsu can be deadly in transition. (tense music continues) - first half was a pretty big struggle. you could tell that they were a little more settled in than we were.

- [sportscaster] rice lookin' to drive it, and that's gonna be an offensive foul called on kiki rice. (tense music continues) flau'jae johnson, back to back triples. (players chattering) - they came out, they hit some threes that, you know, we didn't anticipate them hitting, and our shots weren't falling. - [sportscaster] rice, good luck. catch, fire, no. - [sportscaster] ucla now o of 7 from three. - [sportscaster] flau'jae johnson a huge first half. 13 points. lsu leads by 7. (soft somber music) (players chattering) (players chattering) - first of all, i think that they're sagging you off and sending two, and that's when the guards can attack more. and lauren, you're doing a really good job when they're sending two, you're doing a good job kicking it out, but we need you to stay aggressive. - we regroup here? - yeah! - this really is just like creighton. they're makin' a lotta shots. adjust! take those things away!

all of the teams that have kicked their butt, their guards have gone to work. there's more in you. there's more aggression in you. (tense music) - [sportscaster] here we go. one half away from someone heading to the elite eight. this is a ucla team that is talented enough to win a national championship right now, and they have young pieces that they should have together for a while. (crowd cheering) (tense music continues) - they had missed all of those three pointers in the first half, and then they just finally started to go in. london makes one that puts them up by one in the third quarter. - [sportscaster] ucla has it. jones, her three... you bet! (crowd cheering) to the corner it goes. osborne connects! (crowd cheering) the bruins back in front. (crowd chattering) - i felt like we were in great position to win this game. (tense music) - [sportscaster] rice drives it, gets denied!

flau'jae johnson on the block and then rice on the foul. - kiki rice gets into foul trouble. charisma osborne gets into foul trouble. lauren betts, it wasn't so much the physicality that was informing the foul situation, it was just a lack of discipline. - it really takes the game out of rhythm. the players that, you know, you anticipate being on the court are not on the court or you're playing differently because you're in foul trouble. (crowd cheering) - lsu by four. (whistle blows) and that's gonna be an offensive foul. number five on kiki rice. (crowd chattering) - foul! that's what you do! (crowd chattering) (somber music) - it was really tough just sitting on the bench feeling helpless in a sense. - they were up against a team who was more seasoned and experienced and had been here before and did not flinch. (buzzer blares) - [sportscaster] the defending champs are not done yet.

(somber music continues) - hey, this program is in damn good hands, and i know y'all are gonna finish it off next year for us, okay? (somber music continues) - the outcome really hurts. it's not what we wanted, and at the same time, not letting it define the entire year. i'm so proud of who you are. i love you guys. i just love you. (somber music continues) - at no point did i ever think we wouldn't be in the final four and that we wouldn't be playing for a national championship, and then all the sudden that became the reality. (somber music continues) i think being so close, honestly,

and falling short could be the fuel that we need for the future for this group.

(tense music) - [reporter] we officially have our first team of the day moving on to the elite eight. congratulations to lsu, as we've got one more game from albany. number 1 iowa, caitlin clark and colorado. (tense music continues) (crowd cheering)

- once we made it to the sweet sixteen to play colorado, it was almost like a, okay, like, we're out of iowa city, like we avoided a really embarrassing upset. getting out of there really takes the pressure off of you. everybody just kinda played a little looser. (crowd cheering) - [sportscaster] the hawkeyes take down colorado. and what is on deck? well, a rematch of the 2023 national championship game. angel reese, caitlin clark, lsu, iowa. - for caitlin and the hawkeyes, this is the one team that kept them from the title, and now they get to face them again just to get to the final four. and so, that fire has been burning for pretty much 12 months. - i knew they were gonna put lsu in our region. that's just what they wanted to do. they were gonna give the people that rematch. (tense music)

hello. - all right, so cc, you're gonna start out on number 11. gabby, i believe number 4, flau'jae, is their x factor right now, okay? she is playing out of her mind, all right? so stay tight, stay together, play with poise. - i caution you to get on social media or listen to any tv **** that's goin' on right now. - delete that ****. - honestly. right? - yeah. - we don't need to get involved in all that crap that the media wants to stir. that's not us. just tune it out. put the blinders on, man. put the blinders on and let's go! - let's go! let's go! - get your (indistinct). (tense music) - [reporter] listen, the scoreboard's gonna say iowa and lsu, but after last year's trash talking, is this all about caitlin clark and angel reese? (tense music continues) - to be honest, like, i was super frustrated going into that game. everybody wanted to talk about everything besides the basketball. the media just made it this battle that never was.

(tense music continues) me and angel have always been great competitors, but that's not the only competitive thing about where our game is at. - like, me and caitlin clark don't hate each other. i don't think people really realize that, and that's fine. i'll take the villain role, but i know we're growing women's basketball and if this is the way we're gonna do it, then this is the way we're gonna do it. you like it or you don't. (tense music continues) - [reporter] if you put together a wishlist heading into this women's college season, at the very top, pretty, pretty please, give us a rematch of lsu-iowa. - [reporter] ever since the brackets were released, we've been hopin' for this one. - [reporter] you could not have scripted this. - the lead-up and the buildup to that game is like nothing i have ever seen in an elite eight matchup. - [player] guys, have you got anybody with an april fools yet? - what? - i didn't even realize it was april fools day. - yeah. - wait, what? - [player] that's what it's called, right? april fools? - yep, we lost

the national championship a year ago today. - oh, did we? - no. did we? no, it's tomorrow. (group chattering) - i was gonna say it was a prank, and we actually won. - so it's actually, this is our redemption game on day 364. - well, it was leap year this year. so it's 365. - oh, so it is. - it was meant to be! - all right, hawks. so tonight after we win this game, we get to cut down the nets again. so i really want to pass these scissors around and i want you to envision yourself cutting down that net. get up there above the clouds, above all the crap, and have fun tonight. smile and have fun 'cause you guys are at your best when you do that. iowa on three. one, two, three! - [group] iowa! (group chattering) - let's do it. - i'm excited. honestly, like, this is the moment we've been working for all year. nothin' scares me. i think i'm ready, yeah. (dramatic music) we have always said we wanna get back to cleveland, now we're 40 minutes away from doing it.

(dramatic music continues) - all right, let's go through match-ups first. cc, you're on number 11. you're very capable. you know our easiest way on the ball screen. that's over or under, easiest way. syd, on number 12. - the grueling nature of their season, like the crowds, the pressure, has them as prepared as they possibly can be for this moment against a super team. ♪ cut my life into pieces ♪ ♪ this is my last resort ♪ ♪ suffocation, no breathing ♪ ♪ if i cut my arm breathing ♪ (players yelp) (tense music) (crowd cheering) - [sportscaster] a trip to the final four on the line. the rematch is underway in albany. (crowd cheering) clark connects! (crowd cheering) here's clark driving in for two. (whistle blows) (crowd cheering) - [sportscaster] caitlin clark is at her best when she can balance her three-point prowess with attacks to the rim. - clark, you bet! (crowd cheering)

could you have possibly asked for a better start if you're iowa? - didn't i tell y'all? when we're losing it's 'cause of us. they're not better than us! (tense music) - [sportscaster] they dump it into reese. reese's bodies inside. easy finish for angel reese. (tense music continues) and now reese comes up with a steal! (crowd cheering) reese all the way in to give lsu the lead. - angel reese! (crowd cheering) - it just felt like a heavyweight fight, like the drama, the intrigue. it was magical to be in that crowd and feel that vibration. (tense music continues) - lsu! lsu! lsu! lsu! - clark shakes van lith into the lane. (whistle blows) gets fouled by reese. and then angel reese takes a tumble afterwards. oh no. - angel reese. - [sportscaster] and you just hope this is not going

to affect angel reese and lsu tonight. (tense music) - [sportscaster] no offensive rebound for lsu since angel reese left the game. - [sportscaster] now, angel reese is gonna hobble to the scorer's table and check back in for her team. - [announcer] entering the game for lsu, number 10, angel reese. - [sportscaster] clark eyes up, behind the back, through the lane, lays it in! (crowd cheering) iowa back in front! johnson on the attack, spinning, and finishing! what a move from flau'jae johnson! - flau'jae johnson! - we have a tie game at the half. (crowd cheering) - i was definitely tired. it was an up and down first half, but going into halftime, like, we were in a really good spot. all we have to do this half is play defense. - yeah, that's literally it. - like, their defense is not good. - no. - we're gonna score as much as we want, but they're probably saying the same thing about our defense. - for sure. - but that's not true. - [player] and angel's, like, so tired.

- [player] she does not wanna foul right now, so keep goin' at her. - she have two fouls? - she's got two. - she has two. - two. - attack her early. - good job, you guys. - way to go hawks. we got 20 minutes. we get 20 minutes to go out there, show 'em who's best, all right? - let's go. - 20 minutes to put everything else aside, 20 minutes to elevate. - [sportscaster] here we go. second half action. a trip to the final four at stake. oh my! (crowd cheering) from schenectady! - three pointer goes to caitlin clark! - coming out in the second half, the biggest thing was we set the tone right away. i made a few threes, which helped. - [cheerleaders] go, iowa, go! - clark! (crowd cheering) she's possessed! - [sportscaster] it's the distance on these caitlin clark threes. it's just ridiculous. - clark fires. you bet! (crowd cheering) her seventh three of the game. caitlin clark passes taylor robertson, most career threes in division i history. (crowd cheering) - i've never seen anyone perform like caitlin clark did in that moment.

she was at the very best version of herself. (crowd chattering) - here we go! here we go- - back to clark. stuelke lays it in! (crowd cheering) plus the foul. jason sudeikis all smiles. a 12-point iowa lead. (tense music) reese leans in (whistle blows) and that's a charge! (crowd cheering) and number five on angel reese. (tense music) - [holly] angel re-aggravated an ankle sprain that she had done in the sec tournament. i do think it affected her game. (somber music) - [sportscaster] clark evades. that will do it. this time it's iowa! (crowd cheering) the hawkeyes are headed back to the final four! (players cheering) (gentle music) (players cheering)

- we're goin' to the final four! (players cheering) (gentle music) (gentle music continues) - we got redemption and beat lsu. as a competitor, you love that. but also more importantly, our group was going back to the final four, a place that a lotta people thought we wouldn't be. believe! - believe! - woo! (somber music) (crowd cheering) - we had all said that if iowa really wanted to be contenders, it was gonna have to be everybody else not named caitlin that would have to step up and play well, and they were playing great.

but i still felt like south carolina was the team to beat. (crowd cheering) - [sportscaster] for the fourth straight season, south carolina is headed to the final four! - coach staley, your average margin of victory all year long with like 26 points per game. (players cheering) (gentle music) - the final four, it was really special. looking at all the hard work we put in, and see that everything paid off was amazing. (group clapping and cheering) - proud, each and every one of you for committing to it, proud of you for performing when you needed to perform. we're gonna go and enjoy it for the first day, right? and then it's business. - good job, y'all. - here we go. together on three! one, two, three. - [group] together!

south carolina and nc state, iowa and uconn.

but let's get you some other big stories. south carolina's kamilla cardoso announcing via social media that she is declaring for the 2024 wnba draft. - welcome! - [commentator] we need her! - [reporter] in espn's latest mock draft, she's projected to go number four overall. (traffic whirring) - there you go. (players chattering) - i was like, okay, maybe i should make my decision before the final four. i think this is a really important moment for me and i wanna go there with no pressure on my shoulders. i don't wanna think about nothing else, but just going out there and playing every single game like it's my last game with this team. i texted coach staley i wanted to meet with her. i went to the office, i talked to her. i told her i thought i was ready to take the next step in my life. she told me she think i was ready, too, so that's all i needed to hear. (gentle music) when i go to the next level, i'm gonna start living by myself. i was in the gift suite and i was like, what should i get? (group chattering) - 'cause you gotta have something to cook with.

these would be good for you for where you're going. i'm just sayin'. - [kamilla] what is it called, mary? - [mary] hamilton beach blender with travel cups. - what you gonna blend? - well, you know when i move out i'm gonna have to figure out how to cook and live a life without y'all. i feel like i'm ready. i just gotta learn how to cook and then i'll be fine. (chuckles) - bye, kamilla. (bright music) (crowd cheering) - [sportscaster] ready to go in cleveland, ohio. first game of our semi-final doubleheader tonight, nc state against south carolina. - the nc state-south carolina matchup i think had really high expectations. (tense music) - for the holdovers from the team a year ago, they recognized very quickly it can all come crashing down in the semifinal round if you're not focused. (dramatic music) (tense music) - [sportscaster] cardoso. wow! through two defenders, able to bank it home.

(tense music continues) - [elle] kamilla was building on some of those earlier rounds where she was asserting herself. - [sportscaster] cardoso the rebound. she has a double-double. - [elle] she had a double-double in that game. she was owning that. (tense music) - [sportscaster] undefeated south carolina will play for the national championship on sunday. (crowd cheering) - i just gotta play good. i know when i play good that my teammates get it going, too. so let's just do this and win a national championship. (dramatic music) (crowd cheering) - featuring the uconn huskies! - a reminder, iowa and uconn is coming up next. (fans cheering) - i grew up a pretty big uconn fan. maya moore was my favorite player growing up. i wanted uconn to recruit me. i always wanted geno to call me just because he's geno. like, he's one of the best coaches of all time. - we respect them, we don't fear them. let's go. - let's go.

- together, one, two, three. - together! - geno never called me. mm-mm. it woulda been cool. i always had my eyes peeled, but no. (tense music) - [sportscaster] uconn, the winningest program in the history of women's college basketball. iowa trying to get to its second straight national championship game. (crowd cheering) - i have a chance to beat uconn on the biggest stage in front of 14.2 million people. obviously, i was licking at my chops a little bit. (crowd chattering) (tense music) - [sportscaster] here's clark driving in lane, and caitlin clark has the first points of the semifinal. - [sportscaster] so much talk about caitlin clark and paige bueckers. - paige bueckers, people forget, was the first and still only freshman to win national player of the year. (fans shouting) - bueckers, connects! - [announcer] three!

- paige bueckers, (tense music) a triumphant return after a season missed due to injury. - and that is how (buzzer blares) the first half will end. holding caitlin clark to six points. - paige and uconn and geno, they're kinda like, don't sleep on us. - what's the score? - [player] we're down six. - all right, i mean, our shots are gonna fall. i mean caitlin, you're a **** dog. like, do not... we have the most confidence in you ever, so you're fine. (tense music) - [sportscaster] getting ready to start this second half in cleveland, ohio. clark, is gonna spin away from traffic, double screen, gets open, and hits! (crowd cheering) first three of the night for caitlin clark. clark for three. (whistle blows) it is good! (crowd cheering) plus the foul. (tense music) clark, step back three. you bet! (crowd cheering) - three, caitlin!

- we had two really costly turnovers late in that game. - [sportscaster] clark on the move, finds stuelke. stuelke dishes. it's taken away by arnold! save to edwards and connecticut takes a time out! (tense music) (crowd cheering) - all the sudden uconn is in a position to probably win this game. - the biggest thing about our group is nobody was ever frazzled. it was always just go back down on defense and get a stop. - [sportscaster] 10.8 seconds remaining. muhl, the drive. five seconds left. (whistle blows) looking for edwards, and the offensive foul! (crowd cheering) an offensive foul on edwards with 3.9 to go. (crowd cheering) - it was really the whistle heard round the world for march madness. in the moment it seemed like an unfortunate whistle, but on the replay, she is way outside of her shoulders. it's a foul. - it was a moving screen for everybody that thinks it wasn't a moving screen. her feet were super wide.

she was moving and maybe gabby sold it a little bit, but she got nailed like it's a moving screen. - [holly] it saves the game for iowa, just point blank. - and that will do it! (buzzer blaring) iowa survives connecticut (crowd cheering) and heads back to the national championship game. - hey, i! (players cheering) we're goin' to the championship! (group laughs) (players chattering) - championship! (players cheering) - natty!

(birds chirping) - [reporter] fantastic games last night. it's been a tournament of impossibly high expectations, but one game will determine the outcome of the entire season tomorrow. either south carolina stays perfect or caitlin clark gets her fairytale ending. (tense music) - the rematch in the national championship game was a rematch from the semi-final game from the previous season where iowa shocked the world and ended south carolina's undefeated season. - we sort of had the clash of these titans. could caitlin clark end her storybook career in the most storybook of ways, and could south carolina exact revenge for what happened to them last year and punctuate a perfect season? (tense music continues) - [coach] number 22, caitlin clark. - how we gonna play her is much different than we play anybody, okay? we don't want to run up at her 'cause she's gonna go by us, and once she goes by us, she's gonna have options.

she's good at threadin' the needle, she's good at finding, she's good at pulling when she's got space, so we're gonna beat her. is she gonna bang some threes? you're damn right. we can't get dejected. they're playing their best basketball, they're playing inspired, they're playing like they wanna win a national championship. so are we. - this is a team that just doesn't have a lotta weaknesses. kamilla's playing so well, just runs the floor beautifully, rebounds incredibly, shooting the ball well. one person can't stop her. - we got one more game. nothin' else matters. your feelings don't matter. they don't. you're right here. you're one game away from experiencing something that you'll never, ever forget. (tense music) winning or losing, trust me, it works both ways. - there's always a lotta debate for players and coaches whether a championship is needed to cement a legacy. - yeah, i was really good in college,

never won a championship. man, you gotta win a championship. you gotta win a championship. if caitlin wins a championship, she's pretty damn good. like, yeah, she's a goat good. i mean she's pretty damn good regardless, but you know, winning a championship would seal the deal. i hope to the dear lord she doesn't. (reporters and coach staley laughing) (players clapping) - [players] i-o-wa! - think about crossover in kinnick, the very first game of the year, was our game in crossover in kinnick, and now we get to play in the very last game of the year. we've had quite the story, and i cannot imagine doing it with any other group, i really can't. win or lose this game, i want you to take that with you for the rest of your lives because i know how successful you guys are gonna be the rest of your lives, okay?

let's go and have fun today! - let's go do it! (players chattering) let's play b! (group chattering) - very similar follow-up. - together, one, two, three. - together! (group chattering) (traffic whirring) - [kate] (sighs) how do you feel? - [caitlin] good. - [kate] me, too, actually. - jason sudeikis just texted me. "i mean...look...they called this place believe-land before y'all got here. now you guys got the chance to remind them why." (ominous music) you have your room key? - [kate] mm-hmm. (tense music) - all right. - let's do it. - let's hit it. (tense music continues) (fans cheering) - [sportscaster] as we work our way towards tip-off for which team walks away with the title of national champions tonight, south carolina or iowa. - we believed we could win. we were never like, it's gonna be a miracle

to win the national championship verse south carolina. we were confident that we were gonna find a way to win. (tense music) (players chattering) - man, lemme get out. (screams) (player screams) - get it out! get it out! (kamilla screams) (players chattering) (caitlin and kate shout) (crowd cheering) - [fan] let's go! (suspenseful music) (crowd cheering) - [announcer] kamilla cardoso! (crowd cheering) (suspenseful music continues) caitlin clark! (suspenseful music continues) - [sportscaster] clark, open three is good! (suspenseful music continues) - caitlin clark, she can do everything, like, she's a great all-around player, so it's really hard to guard her. - [sportscaster] here's clark, wheeling, taking,

and banking it home. (crowd cheering) (tense music) clark.... oh my! (crowd cheering) from the future! - caitlin clark! - [sportscaster] will iowa wind it down? no. that's why! (crowd cheering) a stunning opening quarter from clark. she has 18, the most ever in a championship game quarter. - i made some tough shots, but they just kept throwing different people at me. i think i expended a lot of energy in the first quarter. - once she started scoring a lot, everybody was more like locked in. (tense music) - [sportscaster] tessa johnson comes out to meet clark, clark evades, bounces, o'grady gets denied by cardoso. (tense music continues) cardoso working o'grady. cardoso, and the foul. (whistle blows) watkins, dumping it inside.

cardoso has given the gamecocks their first lead of the afternoon. (tense music continues) shot clock turned off and johnson picks the pocket of clark! raven johnson lays it in! (crowd cheering) - johnson! - the last play before the half, you could just feel a momentum shift there like, uh-oh, iowa's in trouble here. - if you score 18 points in the first quarter, you're not gonna have the energy to play through the whole game. shout out to my girl ray. played some great defense on caitlin. (buzzer blares) - and that's how the first half ends! and south carolina takes its largest lead of the game into the half. - it was a tough matchup for us having 6'1", 6'2" hannah stuelke going up against 6'7" kamilla. - [announcer] kamilla cardoso! - [caitlin] she's just too tall, she's too good. she finishes well around the rim. her standing in the paint, it's a big difference maker. (tense music)

- [sportscaster] the separator, kamilla cardoso. she's been playing with a different ferocity in the last couple of weeks. (tense music continues) - [sportscaster] clark, the crossover, and the hit from three. - three! - a big one for iowa. can they build off it? (tense music continues) - [caitlin] we cut it to five points with five minutes to go, but at the end of the day, they just were a little too much for us. - [announcer] kamilla cardoso! - perfection with a touch (crowd cheering) of sweet redemption! (buzzer blaring) undefeated south carolina has won its third national championship. - coach, you're one of the toughest to ever come outta philly. we don't see these tears from you often. (players chattering) - she was proud we won the championship, and i feel like we all got emotional,

but it was just the feeling that we did it, like relieved, you know? she trusted us. she never lost her faith in us and we was able to do it. we did it for her. (crowd cheering) - [announcer] the most outstanding player for the 2024 nccaa championship is from monte claros, brazil, kamilla cardoso. (players and crowd cheering) - there's a lot of us who've been working in women's college basketball for a long time, and i feel like we've all been pushing this boulder up the hill together, like, "just trust us, you'll love this. these women are great." we've been waiting for so long for everybody to see how great women's college basketball is. like, welcome! thank you for wrapping your arms around these women. they deserve it. there's been so many that have come before them to put them in this moment and build the foundation for this moment. - i wanna personally thank caitlin clark

for lifting up our sport. she carried a heavy load for our sport and it just is not gonna stop here on the collegiate tour, but when she is the number one pick in the wnba draft, she's gonna lift that league up as well. so, caitlin clark, if you're out there, you are one of the goats of our games and we appreciate you. (crowd cheering) (no audio) - great job, you guys. man! you fought, you battled. heck, we got within five. so good. so good, you guys. they're a professional team. honest to goodness, they are. so do not hang your heads. do not. yes, we're sad that the seniors are leavin' us.

that's tough. that's the tough part about this. but we got to do this together, right? we got to have this journey together. caitlin, thanks, man. thanks for believing in us, and you got this whole locker room to believe. caitlin, you got everybody to believe along with you. the impact that you had on young women in this sport doesn't get tarnished. it will always be there. you have raised this sport to a new level 'cause of the way you play the game. don't ever forget that, okay? let's bring it in. great job. - great job. - [coach bluder] hawkeye pride, one, two, three. - [group] hawkeye pride. - just wanna say thank you. thank you, thank you, thank you, really, thank you to all of y'all.

you committed to each other. i've never been part of a team that hold each other accountable while lifting each other up. and then kamilla, your sacrifice, it's incredible. basketball in life will forever repay you for your sacrifice. you're gonna do incredibly well and we are gonna sit back courtside to see it. we thank you for choosing south carolina. we really do. - love you. - love you! (players cheering) - love you, kamilla! - did all you could, right? you did fabulous. good job. make a career. (soft somber music) - what a run, dude. love you. proud of you. - i didn't know you were here. (soft somber music) - yeah, i just lost the national championship for the second year in a row, but it's not the wins, it's not the points,

it's not the crazy shots. it's literally everything else in between. practices with the girls and getting to interact with the fans and play in those environments. let's go! there's so much to be proud of and so much to hold to hold your head high about. this is a test. this is a test. this is a test. this is a test. this is a test. this is a test. this is a test.

(audience cheering) - the university of iowa announced that basketball star caitlin clark will have her jersey retired and replaced with an apron.

(audience groans) (laughs) oh! here to comment is caitlin clark. (audience cheering) - i had seen his jokes prior, so i knew it was gonna be a fun little bit. i knew people were gonna love it. i can't tell jokes like you do, but i did write some jokes, and it would mean a lot to me if you read some of 'em. just right over there on the cards. - the indiana fever have the first pick in this monday's draft, a reminder that indiana fever is a wnba team and not what michael che gave to dozens of women at purdue university. (audience laughs) - see, that's a good joke. i want more respect! - it couldn't have been more perfect. caitlin was hilarious. she has captured the imagination of the public in this incredible way. she is an agent for change. (tense music) - [reporter] women's basketball, all gas, no breaks.

the wnba draft is tonight! - [reporter] the excitement surrounding the wnba draft tonight in brooklyn is palpable. caitlin clark enters the draft as the overwhelming favorite to be selected first overall by the indiana fever. - [reporter] we all know about caitlin clark, but a lot of other stars were born. - [andraya] it could be cameron brink from stanford, it could be kamilla cardoso who just won a national championship with south carolina. - that looks really good. - when you're caitlin clark and you're going to this draft, you know where you're going. i'm pretty sure her family had already started moving her stuff to indiana. - i don't wanna squeeze the jacket. - don't ruin my fit. (tense music) - [elle] for kamilla, there was a little bit more anticipation. (tense music continues) - [reporter] because we're on the orange carpet, i feel like it's time for us to talk a little bit of fashion. - [reporter] caitlin clark, prada head to toe. - [reporter] she broke the internet with this from me. - congratulations. - thank you. (tense music continues) - good evening and welcome to the 2024 wnba draft presented by state farm. (audience cheering)

as we gather here tonight, it's clear that women's sports and specifically the wnba are more than a moment. congratulations, class of 2024. welcome to the w. (audience cheers) with the first pick in the 2024 wnba draft, the indiana fever select caitlin clark, university of iowa. (audience cheering) (gentle music) - yeah! it doesn't feel like i've changed or like i'm different. like, i just feel like i'm meant to be here. this is what i was supposed to do. i've always believed in myself the same way. i think that's what's allowed me to achieve greatness.

- this is governor holcomb from indiana. - hello, governor, this is caitlin clark. me, too, i'm really excited to get there. i can't wait. - [cathy] with the second pick, cameron brink, stanford university. (audience cheers) - [kamilla] having my family here to experience this very special moment with me, my dreams is really coming to reality. - with the third pick, the chicago sky select kamilla cardoso, university of south carolina. (audience cheers) (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (interviewer speaking portuguese) (kamilla speaking portuguese) - the goal was to give my family a better life,

and i know now i'm gonna be able to do that. (gentle music continues) (traffic whirring) (soft tense music) (soft tense music continues) - i don't have to use the gps anymore. i actually kinda know where i'm going. (soft tense music continues) i found an apartment. i got kind of moved out of my other apartment in iowa city. we're gonna try to eat out like once a week and just try new places. there's a lotta good steak houses in indiana that i'm excited to try. i feel like you couldn't have scripted, like, the last six months of my life any better.

(soft tense music continues) and at times it was a lot, and there was like a lotta pressure on me, but i'm very thankful for everything that's happened, good and bad. and it's weird, like, starting a new chapter of my life. like, i'll miss iowa city, but i'm very excited to be in indianapolis, and i feel very confident in everything that's gonna happen, (gentle music) (gentle music continues) going into the wnba, i know there's pressure. to be honest, like, i like it. i think that helps me perform at a higher level. i think it attracts more people that wanna watch the game. (family member speaking portuguese) (kamilla's mom speaking portuguese) (group laughs) (kamilla's mom speaking portuguese) (kamilla laughs)

(kamilla's mom speaking portuguese) (group speaking portuguese) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) - [kiki] losing, it makes me hungrier for even more. we're gonna have all the pieces that it takes to win a national championship. - now we know we don't wanna feel like that again, so. - the feeling of falling short. - we have to. - next year we're winning. sweeping. (gentle music) (group chattering) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues)

- [man] omaha!

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