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NBA legend Dwyane Wade's wife, Gabrielle Union, celebrated Dawn Staley and South Carolina’s victory over Iowa in the NCAA women’s basketball championship game on Instagram.
The “Bring It On” star shared a throwback photo of Dawn Staley while she was still playing for the University of Virginia and added “stickers” of a goat and the initials G.O.A.T., somehow declaring that she is the greatest women’s basketball personality of all time.
Mrs. Wade might have a sound argument for calling Dawn Staley the GOAT as the South Carolina coach steered her team to a perfect season capped by an 87-75 win against the Iowa side led by Clark.
The Lady Gamecocks won their third NCAA title under Dawn Staley's leadership. She also coached Team USA to Olympic gold in 2021 in Tokyo.
Dawn Staley, South Carolina, finally completes season sweep against Caitlin Clark, Iowa’s expense
South Carolina’s blowout win against Iowa on Sunday night is probably the perfect revenge the Lady Gamecocks could get as the Lady Hawkeyes denied them of a full-season sweep last year.
Entering the 2023 Final Four 36-0, South Carolina was shut down by Iowa in the semifinals with a 77-73 defeat.
With the whole 2023 starting lineup, headlined by eventual WNBA number one choice Aliyah Boston, gone, some supporters predicted that South Carolina would run out of steam against Iowa.
After racing to a 27-20 lead at the end of the first quarter, the Lady Hawkeyes appeared to be on their way to defeating the Lady Gamecocks. However, South Carolina dominated the final 30 minutes of the game to complete the 38-0 sweep, the first since Connecticut in 2016.
"I'm super excited to share this moment with our team. They are incredible human beings and young people who trusted, believed, and figured out a way to help each other, learn and grow, and ultimately become champions," said Staley.
The six-time WNBA All-Star, who was named by a fan vote into the pro league’s 15 greatest players of all time in 2011, then praised Caitlin Clark, the presumptive number one pick of next week’s WNBA Draft, calling her “one of the GOATs of our game.”
With their second title in three years—which could have probably been a full three-peat if not for Iowa’s 2023 stunner—South Carolina is now making a case as US NCAA women’s basketball’s new dynasty.
