OCEANSIDE — She can now call herself a national champion.
Oceanside native Te-Hina Paopao, 21, played a central role on Sunday in helping lead No. 1-ranked South Carolina to an 87-75 win over Iowa to win the women’s NCAA basketball championship in Cleveland. Paopao, a combo guard and Oregon transfer scored 14 points with three 3-pointers and two assists in 22 minutes.
In addition, the game, which featured arguably the most famous college basketball player in Iowa’s Caitlyn Clark, averaged 18.7 million viewers making it the most viewed basketball game — college or pro — in the past five years, according to reports.
While Clark was the main attraction, Paopao and the Gamecocks were the show as South Carolina rallied from a seven-point first-quarter deficit to claim the title to cap a perfect and historic 38-0 season. For Paopao, the last several days have been a whirlwind and will be capped with a parade through the streets of Columbia, S.C. on Sunday to celebrate the program’s third national title.
