Women’s Conference

No. 1 Iowa and No. 3 University of Connecticut

Caitlin Clark, Iowa State University’s superstar, cemented herself as the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s all-time leading scorer on March 3 in a victory over Ohio State University. She surpassed 3,667 points, a record set by Pete Maravich in the 1970s. Clark’s scoring prowess persisted as Iowa entered the postseason. Iowa's biggest challenge occurred in the Elite 8 against No. 3 Louisiana State University, a team that the Hawkeyes fell to in the finals last year. 

According to ESPN, an average of 12.3 million viewers tuned in to this rematch. This not only became the most-watched women’s basketball game but also the most-watched college basketball game broadcasted by ESPN’s network. Led by Clark’s 41 points (which included 9 three-pointers), Iowa pulled away with a 94-87 victory. 

After the game, Louisiana State University star Angel Reese announced her decision to turn professional. Clark had declared for the Women’s National Basketball Association Draft earlier in February. Both players’ phenomenal gameplay, as well as their large fan base, has led to what many people, including WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, speculate to be a “Magic-Bird event”. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, a rivalry that began in the 1979 NCAA championship game, became a focal point of entertainment for the National Basketball Association in the 1980s. Many are now wondering whether Clark and Reese produce a similar effect and revive viewership for the WNBA. 

Iowa’s success continued, defeating the University of Connecticut in the Final Four 71-69. This time, Caitlin Clark, who was held to 21 points, was not the star of the show. Instead, attention was diverted to UConn forward Aliyah Edwards. With 7.8 seconds left in the fourth quarter, UConn were down 69-70 and were in need of one more basket. The ball was successfully inbounded, but the play was soon disrupted by the officials when Edwards set what appeared to be an illegal screen. This call would cost UConn a trip to the finals and sparked controversy on social media.  

Despite the disappointing loss, UConn star Paige Bueckers viewed the situation through another lens. 

"Everybody can make a big deal of that one single play, but not one single play wins a basketball game or loses a basketball game. I feel like there were a lot of mistakes that I made that could've prevented that play from even being that big," Bueckers told reporters in a post-game conference. 

Bueckers’ willingness to take accountability even in the midst of an important loss exemplifies her tenacious nature. She was the No. 1 rank in the 2020 class by ESPN, even ahead of the likes of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. After an impressive freshman season, injuries started to derail her career to the point where Bueckers sat out the entire 2022-2023 season to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Coming into the 2023-2024 season, Bueckers picked up where she left off as she averaged 21.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.7 steals and 2.3 steals per game. 

Following the loss to Iowa, Bueckers told fans that she would be returning to UConn for the 2024-2025 season. Buecker will be entering her senior season next year. 

No. 1 South Carolina and No. 3 North Carolina State 

The University of South Carolina entered the 2024 tournament with a mission. After losing to Iowa in the 2023 Final Four, the team repeatedly said they “never want to have that feeling again and would never overlook another opponent.” So even when South Carolina was favored to win this matchup, they made sure to finish what they could not have last year. 

In North Carolina State University’s first time reaching the Final Four since 1998, South Carolina dominated in a 78-59 blowout win. The Gamecocks’  lineup features a well-rounded squad. Kamilla Cardoso, forward for South Carolina, led the way with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting, along with 11 rebounds and two blocked shots.

“I think when all of us zone in, nobody can stop us because we can get the post-ups, we can shoot the 3, we can drive, so when all of us are playing in the same rhythm, nobody can stop us,” said Cardoso after the game. 

Cardoso, nicknamed “Killa Milla” by her teammates, had injured her knee in the second quarter before returning to the game in the third quarter. 

In a postgame conference, South Carolina forward Ashlyn Watkins told reporters that Cardoso “was gonna be okay. She's a warrior. She's not gonna let a little injury like that affect her. She's gonna push and she's gonna be ready for Sunday.” 

As South Carolina reaches the finals for the second time in three years, the team will need every bit of rest to overcome Iowa for the national championship.

Championship Update

On April 7, South Carolina defeated Iowa 87-75 to win the national championship. Their victory marked the program’s 3rd title and the 10th team in history to complete an undefeated season. Kamilla Cardoso was voted as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. It was Cardoso who was the engine for the Gamecocks, averaging 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. In the championship game, she scored 15 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, a career high. 

"Kamilla Cardoso was not going to let us lose a game in the NCAA tournament. She played through an injury, she played like one of the top picks in the WNBA draft and her teammates did something that no teammates have done for anybody who went to the WNBA in our program. They send her off as a national champion. So this is history for us," said Dawn Staley, head coach for South Carolina. 

Catlin Clark scored a game high 30 points fell was not enough to uplift the Hawkeye’s to champions. On the defensive end, South Carolina outrebounded Iowa 18 to 7. 

While Clark may have ended her collegiate career without a national title, her individual accolades have left a profound impact on the sport of basketball. With Clark projected to be the first overall pick, perhaps she will be the one who ushers a new era of women’s basketball. 

Men's Conference 

No. 1 Purdue and No. 11 North Carolina State 

Purdue University put an end to North Carolina State’s miraculous run to advance to the championship game. Purdue maintained the lead throughout the game. The final score was 63-50. This game marked NC State’s first time reaching the Final Four since 1983 and the 6th time in which an 11th seed made the semifinals. 

NC State’s journey was not easy. They knocked out No. 6 Texas Tech University, No. 14 Oakland University, No. 2 Marquette University, and No. 4 Duke University respectively just to receive a matchup with No. 1 Purdue. 

Still, the heavy underdogs, NC State, did not go down without a fight. Graduate student DJ Horne poured in 20 points, junior guard Jayden Taylor added 11 points, and senior forward DJ Burns Jr added 8 points. 

Despite the quiet night for Burns, it was he who had generated the most buzz throughout the tournament. The 6  ' 9," 275-pound athlete’s unique physique and play style for a man of his stature caught the attention of many fans, including National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic. Jokic, who was late to a postgame press conference because he was watching Burns score 29 to take down Duke, praised Burns: “I think he’s so skilled. Especially lefty, I’d love to be lefty. It seems like his teammates love to play with him, so (he’s) got to be a good guy.”

As described by Burns himself, “I watched a lot of Hakeem Olajuwon growing up. I just ended up with a Zach Randolph body.”

Ultimately, it was Zach Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers that prevailed. Purdue was determined to prove themselves as legitimate contenders after falling to Fairleigh Dickinson University in the first round last year. The team faced lots of postseason success, with victories over No. 16 Grambling State University, No. 8 Utah State, No. 5 Gonzaga University, and No. 2 University of Tennessee. During the tournament, Edey has been putting up averages of 28 points and 15.4 rebounds per game, including a 40 points 16 rebounds masterclass over Tennessee. These outstanding performances have earned Edey a consecutive Associated Press Player of the Year Award. 

Edey posted 20 points and 12 rebounds to take down NC State. Purdue will face UConn for the national championship. 

No. 1 University of Connecticut and No. 4 Alabama 

The University of Connecticut defeated the University of Alabama with a final score of 86-72. Alabama played quality basketball, sinking 11 out of their 23 made three-pointers. In the first half, the game was back and forth, with Alabama up by one point. UConn was simply better, for they took control over the second half. The well-rounded Huskies squad had all five of their starters end the game with double digits in points. 

Alabama’s loss should not be overlooked, for this was the first time the program made the Final Four. Along their route, they were victorious over No. 13 Charleston, No. 12 Grand Canyon, No. 1 University of North Carolina, and No. 6 Clemson respectively. In arguably their toughest matchup, Alabama scrapped a victory in the game versus UNC in a quadruple overtime thriller, thus potentially ruining the brackets for many sports fans. 

UConn streamed through the tournament, knocking out No. 16 Stetson, No. 9 Northwestern, No. 5 San Diego State, and No. 3 Illinois in a dominant fashion. To put into perspective UConn’s dominance, their 14-point victory over Alabama was the smallest margin thus far in the tournament. 

With UConn and Purdue, two No. 1 seeded teams, set out to face each other, who will win it all? Can UConn, the reigning champions, defend their title? Or will Zach Edey lead Purdue to their first championship in the program’s history?

Championship update

UConn ended up prevailing over Purdue, 75-60, making them the first team in 17 years to win back to back titles. The Huskies tie the UNC Tar Heels for the third most championships in Division I men’s basketball history.