Caitlin Clark may have changed women's basketball and made it more popular, but she has once again failed to win the NCAA Basketball Championship for Iowa as South Carolina remained undefeated to become the best women's collegiate basketball team in the country.

South Carolina ended its 2024 campaign with a perfect 38-0 record as they defeated the red-hot Iowa team led by the hottest female athlete in the United States right now, Caitlin Clark, with freshman Tessa Johnson showing that the future for women's basketball is bright, leading the Gamecocks with 19 points off the bench.

Kamilla Cardoso was the heart and soul of South Carolina all season, and this was also the case for the game against Iowa, finishing 15 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks, according to Yahoo! Sports. Meanwhile, Clark led all scorers with 30 in the game, but it was not enough to pull her team to victory.

Even though Clark was the tournament's most talked-about player, because she did not win the championship, she was not named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player. Instead, it went to the Gamecocks' Kamilla Cardoso, who was on fire during the last few games.

South Carolina is now expected to be invited to the White House by President Joe Biden, with former President Barack Obama issuing a massive congratulatory tweet on X to the Gamecocks, calling their championship victory "well deserved."

Iowa Star Caitlin Clark Had a Classy Gesture While Leaving Court

It was a heartbreaker for Iowa as the team lost the NCAA Women's Final twice in a row, losing to LSU last year and to South Carolina this year. It was especially heartbreaking for its superstar, Caitlin Clark, who was the hottest player in the country, receiving praise from NBA stars and legends, as well as sports experts.

However, as Sports Illustrated reported, Clark displayed nothing but class as she exited the arena and bade farewell to fans, "pointing to her heart in order to show them love before heading to the tunnel."

In Iowa's historic run to the NCAA Basketball Final, she set records in scoring, attendance, ticket sales, and ticket prices, energizing women's basketball and making the women's game more popular than ever.

Caitlin Clark Changed How People Looked at Women's Sports

Despite losing, the Iowa star will leave NCAA Basketball with a legacy like no other as she enters the WNBA Draft next season. According to USA Today, thanks to her, "She has changed both her game and how women's sports overall are viewed, very much for the better, and neither will ever be the same."

Clark has captivated the US as an average of 5.5 million watched Iowa's win in the 2023 Final 4 against the team that eventually beat them in the NCAA Basketball Final this year, South Caolina. Even more watched last year's final that featured the first Caitlin Clark Vs. Angel Reese matchup, with 13 million viewers. Even more watched this year.

READ MORE: March Madness Upsets Begin After Oakland and Duquesne Advance After Beating NCAA Powerhouses Kentucky and BYU Respectively

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: 2024 National Championship: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. South Carolina Gamecocks | Full Game Highlights - ESPN