South Carolina still ‘haunted’ by loss to Caitlin Clark, Iowa

After advancing to the 2026 national championship game with a 62-48 win over UConn, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said she's still haunted by her 2023 Final Four loss to the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa Hawkeyes squad. "I'm haunted by 2023," Staley said when asked about the significance of making four of the last five national championship games. "I'm haunted by that particular Final Four because of the players that we had and the season that we were having, and it got upended, and I never got a chance to play.

I mean, never got a chance to coach the freshies (freshmen) anymore, and I just thought that. And we won it the following year, but that particular group was pretty special, and I'm still haunted by it. For me, I just try to if we ever get the opportunity to be in that position again, which we were today, man, we want to lay it on the line.

Lay it on the line, try to figure out ways in which to win the game. " All news is local. When asked about the significance of making four of the last five national championship games, Dawn Staley says South Carolina’s 2023 loss to Iowa still “haunts” her.

pic. twitter. com/U0a5YGSs4e — Jack Lido (@JackLido) April 4, 2026 In that particular matchup, the Gamecocks' undefeated season came to a close after Caitlin Clark's sensational 41 points on 15-for-31 shooting, 5-for-17 from 3-point range, and 6-for-6 at the free throw line, powered the Hawkeyes to a 77-71 win.