The 2024 Women’s NCAA Basketball season will go down as arguably the greatest in the history of the sport. This season we saw all-time records broken, insanely talented freshman, rivalry’s grow and television ratings never before seen. Just a few years ago NCAA Women’s Basketball reached a low point historically. However, this season saw a boost in play that hopefully can transcend the game into the future.
Caitlin Clark reached legendary status this year in her final season leading the Iowa Hawkeyes. Clark set the new NCAA all-time scoring record with 3,951 points. Coming into the season Clark knew at some point she’d have to deal with the pressure of breaking the record. Clark handled the adversity well playing some of her best basketball of the season. Clark set the women’s NCAA scoring record on Febr. 15, which happened to be same night she scored a career-high 49 points. Iowa was in the eye the storm all season. At a certain point you couldn’t help but wonder is she going to fold with all these eyes following her every move. If a moment existed where the pressure began to overwhelm her, Clark did a great job hiding it. Despite ending the season without a National Championship, Clark leaves behind a great legacy at Iowa. She is without a doubt one of the greatest players in NCAA women’s basketball history.
South Carolina came into the season heavy favorites to reclaim their spot as National Champions. Last year the Gamecocks were famously upset by Iowa led by Clark. The loss ended what had been an undefeated season up until that point. South Carolina came into this season with one goal in mind and that was winning an NCAA championship. The Gamecocks were successful in their quest, winning their third title since 2017. This was the first undefeated season in Women’s NCAA basketball since Connecticut did it in 2016. South Carolina joined Baylor, Texas, Connecticut and Tennessee as the only schools to go undefeated. Connecticut has done it on six occasions. Baylor, Tennessee, Texas and now South Carolina have all gone undefeated once. With a third NCAA women’s championship, Dawn Staley has staked her name as one of the best coaches in the land. For a long time, it was Geno Auriemma and Pat Summit as the alphas in the game. Kim Mulkey has had her share of success recently, but at 53, Staley seems prime to be on NCAA Women’s basketball’s Mount Rushmore for years to come.
Juju Watkins stole the show in Southern California this season. Watkins guided USC to their first number one seed in the NCAA Tournament since 1986. Despite a disappointing Elite Eight loss to Connecticut, Watkins and company should be proud of what they’ve accomplished. Womens hoops at USC has been dormant since the days of Cheryl Miller. Watkins is the best recruit since Miller and during her freshman season played like it. Watkins ended the season with 920 points which is the most by a freshman in NCAA Women’s history. If Watkins stays in college for four years Clark’s record could be in jeopardy in the near future. That may be an exaggeration, but Watkins is just that good. The Sierra Canyon product bully’s defenders in a manner similar to Bernard King. Only great things will come from Watkins going forward.
After early season turmoil and a two-game suspension Angel Reese led the LSU Tigers on another deep run in the NCAA Tournament. LSU fell in the Elite Eight in a highly anticipated rematch of the 2023 National Championship with none other than Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Reese and company were vying for a second consecutive title before being ousted by Iowa. Despite the disappointing finish Reese’s career should be celebrated. She is one of the most famous players in history of the sport. LSU’s athletic department has a great winning tradition. Reese brought a NCAA Championship to a program that had never won one prior to her arrival. She is a generational talent that will leave an indelible mark on the game.
Hannah Hidalgo was a treat to watch at Notre Dame this season. Hidalgo is not shy about putting up shots as she was the nation’s third leading scorer as a freshman at 23.7 points per game. Hidalgo will be one of the elite players in the game in the near future. If not for Watkins we’d probably be raving about Hidalgo as the premier freshman in the nation. MiLaysia Fulwiley wowed those who got a chance to see her play. Fulwiley is Staley’s secret weapon who isn’t so much a secret anymore. Fulwiley would have started her rookie campaign at practically any other school in America. South Carolina has a Duke kind of vibe right now. Players such as Fulwiley choose to play for Staley because she demands a certain level of excellence. Practices at South Carolina are just as competitive as conference games.
The final between South Carolina and Iowa averaged 18.7 million viewers and peaked at 24 million. The men’s final between Purdue and Connecticut averaged a mere 14.82 million. The women’s final was the most watched game since 2019 including the pros.
“These exceptional athletes, coaches and teams captured our attention in unprecedented ways and it’s incumbent on all of us to keep the incredible momentum going,” said ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro.
NCAA Womens basketball and the WNBA are often criticized. If you’re looking for the same product as the men’s game whether it be pro or college than it’s quite possible, you’re looking in the wrong place. This season is a prime example that NCAA women’s basketball can walk hand in hand with their male counterparts. The women stole the show and commanded people’s attention down to the last game. Although it’s time for stars such as Clark and Reese to move on to the WNBA, the game is in good hands for the time being.
