While the game was still going on, plenty of big names chimed in to comment on the horribly one-sided officiating. Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe (South Carolina football fans know him as “the younger brother of Sterling Sharpe”) and South Carolina basketball great Tre Kelley knew USC had to be up big to avoid the referees becoming a factor in the closing minutes.

Some didn’t appreciate how much more coverage Iowa (and, specifically, Caitlin Clark) received during the broadcast and the lead-up to tip-off. Hollywood legend Samuel L. Jackson and Keeping It Heel’s Nick Delahanty both took note of how little the broadcast crew and media talked about the Gamecocks in comparison to Clark and Iowa. After Carolina saw the final seconds tick off the clock, there were many who were quick to congratulate South Carolina basketball coach Dawn Staley and her team. Even SEC rival Angel Reese, NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, and longtime sports media talking head Skip Bayless had to congratulate Staley and her South Carolina Gamecocks.

Even Goggle congratulated the Gamecocks. If you Google “South Carolina women’s basketball,” “Gamecock women’s basketball,” or even “Gamecocks,” a celebratory firework show pops up over the box score from yesterday’s National Championship win.

There were many other reactions to South Carolina basketball’s National Championship win, but to include them all would require hours and hours of searching. Hopefully, though, the Gamecocks saw them all because they are deserving of every bit of praise they get for their remarkable and historical run.