Women’s Final Four in Phoenix: Preview and Predictions

The Women’s Final Four is set, and it’s heading to Phoenix. The four teams competing this year are the top No. 1 seeds: UConn, South Carolina, UCLA, and Texas. These teams have shown exceptional dominance throughout the season, and it feels like the tournament is about to shift gears. We’re entering a phase where the outcome is less predictable than it appeared in earlier rounds.

As is the nature of the Final Four, things can be quite unpredictable. Let’s take a moment to make some predictions for the matchups coming up.

Texas to Advance to the Championship

Texas’ impressive performance against a solid Michigan squad in the Elite Eight showcased their remarkable team chemistry. From standout players like Harmon and Booker to walk-on Sarah Graves, who draws crowds just by stepping onto the court, they function well as a unit.

Defensively, they’re a tough team, which will be crucial as they face the guard-heavy, sharpshooting UCLA Bruins. UCLA encountered difficulties scoring against Duke’s defense in the Elite Eight but managed to exploit foul troubles from Toby Fournier late in the game. This could be a strategy they’ll need to replicate against Texas.

Interestingly, Texas already claimed victory over UCLA earlier this season, so there’s some historical context here. But UCLA might just see this as an extra motivation to turn things around. Either way, it’s shaping up to be an exciting matchup.

UConn’s Strong Final Four Performance

The showdown between UConn and South Carolina will be a rematch of last year’s championship game. While both rosters have some similarities, there are notable differences that could influence the game’s outcome.

South Carolina is missing key frontcourt players from last season, like Chloe Kitts and Ashlynn Watkins, but they’ve also welcomed a veteran scorer, Tanya Latson. Although Paige Backers is no longer with UConn, Sarah Strong and Aji Fuad have led their team to an undefeated record this season.

Both teams have freshmen who have made significant impacts in the tournament—Agot Maker from South Carolina and Blanca Quinones from UConn. With high-scoring abilities, strong defenses, and legendary coaches, both squads are formidable contenders.

UConn has a slight edge in depth in the frontcourt, with players like Sarah Strong, Sera Williams, Yana El Alfi, and Quinones adding size to their game. It’ll be interesting to see how South Carolina adapts to this and whether Sarah Strong can really shine in this matchup.

UConn’s Championship Chances

According to recent predictions, about 45.7% of bracket creators believe UConn will take home the national championship this year. The undefeated Huskies have had a relatively smooth path to the Final Four, but they definitely face their greatest challenge yet this weekend.

While Texas, South Carolina, and UCLA have all played at least one of the other three teams this season, UConn hasn’t faced any of them. This lack of experience could influence how this unique UConn roster competes against those teams, but the same holds true for their opponents. It’s hard to predict how well these teams will match up against UConn’s strengths.

The ongoing question this season has been, “Who can stop UConn?” This weekend, we’ll finally find out if anyone can answer that question. If not, the Huskies could very well secure their second consecutive national title.