For the fourth time in NCAA tournament history, the Women’s Final Four is back in Tampa for a star-studded doubleheader between the country’s top elite programs.
The matchups headline the reigning national champions South Carolina going round four against the newest SEC rival Texas Longhorns, Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies finding ways to take down 6-7 Lauren Betts and the UCLA Bruins. All four of the teams have played each other at least a few times in the past years going into this tournament.
The hunger of these programs will determine which two teams will extend their visit in Tampa and battle for the national championship on Sunday. As the semifinals began today, let’s discuss how the four teams’ path to winning a tournament will benefit them in tonight’s matchups.
South Carolina Gamecocks return to the final four for the fifth straight year and sixth overall as the defending national champions. Gamecocks (34-3) entered the season as the preseason’s number-one ranked team but have struggled this season to find the next dominating post player to be an enforcer in the paint since Kamilia Cardoso graduated and played in the WNBA.
This season, three of South Carolina’s losses have come against the teams they are battling for the national title. Since the Gamecocks last lost, the team has bounced back in conference play and has beaten its opponents by 20 points per game. South Carolina’s defense has been aggressive throughout the SEC and NCAA tournament.
The biggest improvement during the win streak has come from the starting post players Chloe Kitts (10.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg) and Sania Feagin (8.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg), who have stepped up to help South Carolina dominate. The Gamecocks top two scorers are freshman forward Joyce Edwards (12.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and sophomore guard Milaysia Fulwiley (11.9 ppg, 1.9 apg, 1.6 spg), and they have continued to impact off the bench for South Carolina on the offense and defense side of the game.
The Gamecocks will have to go through another rematch with the Texas Longhorns who they share the regular season title with and faced three times with two matchups in conference play. South Carolina is on a mission to win another national champion but will be challenged by the Longhorns if they want to make the finals.
Texas Longhorns (35-3) made a name for themselves in their first year of the SEC and was the Gamecocks biggest rival in conference play this year. Longhorns are making their first appearance in the Final Four for the first time since 2003 after falling in the Elite Eight in the past four seasons.
SEC Player of the Year, Madison Booker (16.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.8 apg) leads the team in scoring and the special recipe to the Longhorns’ run in the tournament. Senior guard Rori Harmon (9.3 ppg, 5.9 apg) returns from injury last season and continues to be a leader for the team on the defensive side. Post players Taylor Jones (12.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and Kyla Oldacre (9.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg) are going to be important for Texas in the semifinals by trying to stay out of foul trouble.
Texas’s defense in the NCAA tournament was unstoppable and chaotic throughout its postseason run. In the tournament, Texas held its opponents to 53.8 ppg and field goal and three-point percentages below 40 percent. The is the reason t Longhorns can make history with a win over the Gamecocks and play in the championship game for the first time in program history.
“South Carolina-Texas rematch in the semifinals of the Final Four is going to be exciting as the conference rivals fight for a spot in the title game on Sunday. The important facts for both teams will be depth, limiting fouls, and which team is getting more spots and turning the ball over less.”
UCLA Bruins (34-2) are having one of their best seasons in program history and are making their first ever Final Four. Since UCLA left the Pac-12 for Big Ten, the Bruins dominated their first season in the conference with two losses coming against California rival, USC. UCLA is led by a junior class that adds to the team’s versatile and experience in the lineup.
Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Lauren Betts (20.0 ppg, 9.6 rpg) is the Bruins leading scorer who has given them easy offense in the paint and a disruptor on the defensive end. Junior guard Kiki Rice (12.9 ppg, 3.5 RPG, 5.1 apg) has improved her offense from last season and is shooting a career-high 49.0 FG% and 36.1 3P%.
Junior guard Gabriela Jaquez (9.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg) is the glue to the Bruins success and has become an offensive/defensive threat for them all season. Junior transfer forwards Timea Gardner (7.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and Janiah Barker (7.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg) have brought needed depth at the frontcourt and are instant impacts off the bench for UCLA.
The Bruins have the biggest task of facing the UConn Huskies who are healthy and have a deep rotation that allows them to play small ball which will be something to watch on how UCLA manages to stop them.
UConn Huskies (35-3) are returning to the Final Four for the 24-time overall under Geno Auriemma. The Huskies have a standard of winning national championship, and the last time UConn won the title was 2016. The group remained healthy throughout the season and are playing their best basketball at the right time.
Big East Player of the Year, Paige Bueckers (20.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.8 apg) has carried this team on her back and has grown as a great leader in her final year of college basketball. Big East Freshman of the Year, Sarah Strong (16.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg) shines the brightest for the Huskies as one of the greatest post players in her first season.
Redshirt junior guard, Azzi Fudd (13.1 ppg,1.8 apg) returns from a knee injury last season and has been the anchor to the Huskies depth at the backcourt position with her three-point shooting. Big East Sixth Player of the Year, Ashlynn Shade (8.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg), Princeton transfer guard Kaitlyn Chen (7.1 ppg, 3.3 apg) and KK Arnold (5.3 ppg, 2.8 apg) are going to be major factors in the Huskies semifinal game by providing scoring and defense for the team.
“UConn vs UCLA will be a matchup where the Bruins are going to handle the Huskies depth and trying to match them when they go with the small ball lineup. UConn is experienced but their major factor is getting rebounds against UCLA who has big post player depth rotation in the frontcourt.”
