Raven Johnson on shutting down Caitlin Clark as primary defender: 'I said this year it's not going to happen again, I took it personal'

When Iowa defeated South Carolina to advance to the national championship last season, a highlight made the rounds. Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark sat in the paint while South Carolina guard Raven Johnson had the ball on the perimeter. Clark waved her hand, essentially daring Johnson to shoot.

While Johnson ultimately connected on 3-6 attempts from beyond the arc in the loss, all fans focused on was the brief, but potent wave. Johnson focused on it, too. For 372 days, the play haunted her. On Sunday, Johnson got her revenge.

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The South Carolina sophomore was key in slowing down Clark in the Gamecocks’ 87-85 win over Iowa in the national championship. When Johnson was the primary defender on Clark, she only recorded 7 points while shooting 3-11 from the field and committing four turnovers.

After the game, Johnson pulled back the curtain on her defensive masterclass.

“Well we watched film. I went into my room and I watched her moves and I studied her,” Johnson said. “Just going from last year, I was so embarrassed. I mean Aliyah [Boston] she watched me; she saw what happened.

“I said this year it’s not going to happen again. And I took it personal. I think this game was very personal especially for this team and I just wanted to win a national championship for Coach [Dawn] Staley and also my team.”

Clark cooked South Carolina last year, erupting for 41 points and eight assists while shooting 15-31 from the floor. Sunday’s showdown was a different story. Despite an electric first quarter, Clark was unable to replicate the magical performance she had in the team’s 2023 win over South Carolina.

Clark finished the loss with 30 points and five assists on 10-28 shooting. For reference, Clark boasted a 45.8% field-goal percentage this season. Johnson notched four steals, two blocks and a jump ball in then triumph.

After the game, Johnson had an announcement for fans tuned in across the nation.

“All I have to say is the revenge tour is over!” Johnson exclaimed.

It was a revenge tour for the ages. With the win, South Carolina finished the 2023-24 season with a perfect 38-0 record, becoming the first team to complete a flawless campaign since UConn did so in 2016.

Raven Johnson nearly missed out on making history. Johnson has previously revealed she almost did not play this season due to the the embarrassment of the haunting highlight. On Sunday, Johnson secured her revenge.