5'9" Raven Johnson face-guarding 6'2" Sarah Strong 🍿

The 5-inch height difference means nothing when the defensive IQ is that high.

Lockdown defense. No height mismatch, just heart mismatch 😤🍿

7 straight grabs no call ….. glad to see South Carolina brought their refs to Phoenix

5'9" raven johnson locking down 6'2" sarah strong like height’s just a suggestion. pure grit.

@clairefoleytv Like I always say, when the dogfight starts, give me Raven Johnson over anybody 💪🏽

Raven Johnson deserves a huge shoutout because she made life miserable all game. Sarah Strong was never allowed to get comfortable, and Raven stayed attached to her like a shadow. That kind of defense does not always show up in flashy headlines, but it changes everything.

That’s a straight-up mismatch battle 😤🍿 Raven’s pressure vs Sarah’s size is exactly the kind of chess match that makes basketball so fun to watch.

Nah this is actually wild to watch 😭 5’9” trying to lock up 6’2” is not easy at all, but effort and positioning can make up for a lot. Raven Johnson really out there fighting every inch against Sarah Strong. It looks insane, but that’s just pure competitiveness—no excuses, just hooping.

But she's not a DPOY finalist....gtfoh 🤡

I mean shes fouling her the whole time but sure

5'9" Raven Johnson out here proving height is just a number 🔥 Dawn Staley's defensive masterclass is why South Carolina is built different. Heart + IQ > size every time in these Final Four battles! Who's winning this matchup in your eyes — Raven's grit or Strong's length?

Holy ref job + ESPN UCONN suck session once again 😂😭

Face-guarding a 6'2" player at 5'9" is a bold defensive assignment. Dawn Staley clearly trusts Raven to disrupt the flow regardless of the mismatch.

She didn't back down though. 💪

@espnW If South Carolina wins this game, it will be of the defense of Raven on Strong. This defensive match up is huge.

5'9" Raven Johnson face-guarding 6'2" Sarah Strong is the defensive masterclass we didn't know we needed. 📉🖋️ 2026 Final Four is officially the "Raven Revenge Tour" in Phoenix! 🐔🔥 #FinalFour #Gamecocks #SarahStrong #W

ESPN really thought this deserved to be posted? This is a highlight??? What the hell has this company turned into? 😂😂😂😂😂

The officiating was awful. This is basketball, not rugby.

Raven Johnson is locked in! 🔒 Giving up five inches to face-guard Sarah Strong shows pure heart and hustle. Defense wins championships! 🏀🔥 ​#RavenJohnson #SarahStrong #WBB #UConn #SouthCarolina #Lockdown

Remember what she did to America's favorite All American white gal. That's Hollywood Raven

The defensive pressure there is honestly ridiculous. Hard to watch a player that much smaller completely dictate the pace like that.

@SportsCenter That's how you keep dirt out of your house @HollywoodRaven - Strong need to get her weight up 💪

Pure grit and determination! 💪 🔥

I heard many people crying and saying she’s fouling S. Strong, that’s physical play right there no foul. #Uconn got outplayed today and #SouthCarolina was more physical. If you score under 50pts there is not enough call from the ref to help you🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

Holding and grabbing, not guarding! Should have been fouled out by 3rd quarter

That is a massive highlight. The athleticism on display there is just incredible!

So are the refs not calling any fouls??? On that 2nd clip, Johnson fouled her four times... at least.

@clairefoleytv Refs saw her locking up the NPOY and had to call the foul

I think the Women’s pre and post game team for the tourney has been better than the men’s. Their coverage has been riveting and you can tell they’ve done their homework. Their enthusiasm is infectious.

She fouled her like 8 times in this sequence. Hard to win a game when the refs decide it’s okay for you to be treated like a human punching bag.

There are so many fouls in this clip. So many.

Fouling…leaning on her back, grabbing her and everything..

5'9" Raven Johnson face-guarding 6'2" Sarah Strong is the defensive masterclass we didn't know we needed. 📉🖋️ 2026 Final Four is officially the "Raven Revenge Tour" in Phoenix! 🐔🔥 #FinalFour #Gamecocks #SarahStrong #W

@espnW Attn: @WNBA Get you a physical floor general that can run your offense AND put players in hell.

That’s not “guarding”!! Its mugging!!! If that isn’t “contact that creates an advantage”, the DEFINITION of a foul, NOTHING is.. and nothing WAS!!! Awful display of officiating in final four games!!