Meet the women’s Final Four teams and their chances to win the national championship

The women’s college basketball season has been exciting since the beginning, with four teams battling it out for the 2024 national championship in Cleveland, Ohio.

In the first matchup of the semifinals, No. 1 seed South Carolina will look to continue its winning streak and go undefeated against the No. 3 seed. north carolina. The second game on Saturday night will pit No. 1 Iowa against No. 3 Iowa. university university Many would call it a “Caitlyn vs. Paige” fight.

So far, the level of talent and thrilling moments have not disappointed. And these games on Friday night should be no exception.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the 2024 Final Four teams and their chances to win the national title.

4.NC status

The Wolfpack probably hasn’t been on many teams that make it to the Final Four, but this team proved they shouldn’t have doubted it. North Carolina State defeated No. 2 seed Stanford in the Sweet 16 and then defeated No. 1 seed Texas in the Elite Eight to advance to the semifinals. The Wolfpack had an impressive tournament thanks to the great play of guards Asiaha James and Saniyah Rivers. This backcourt duo looks dangerous, but if they can keep up their hot shooting, they can be unstoppable at times. James has scored at least 19 points in every NCAA Tournament game so far, making 7 of 9 from the 3-point line against Texas. The Wolfpack will get help on the boards and scoring in the paint from graduate transfer River Baldwin, who will face a tough test against South Carolina’s Camila Cardoso.

North Carolina State enters Saturday’s game with a 31-6 record and ranks second in the ACC standings. Virginia Tech, despite being picked eighth in the conference in the preseason. “We had a little bit of breathing room in February, we lost some road games and I think everyone thought the team was going to fall apart,” head coach Wes Moore said after the win over Texas. “And the players continued to work together. I mean, they have great chemistry. They really pull each other together.”

Friday’s game also marks North Carolina State’s first Final Four appearance since 1998. If the Wolfpack were on the other side of the bracket, they could make it to the national championship game. But getting through South Carolina first can be a daunting task.

3. University Con

When UW started the season, many wondered if this team was ready to make a big run in the postseason. The Huskies fell to 4-3 in the first week of December, dropping to No. 17 in the Associated Press Top 25, their lowest ranking in 30 years. Injury issues this season forced the university to play with just eight players throughout the NCAA Tournament. But one thing UW is counting on for them is the return of Paige Backers, a redshirt junior who missed all of last season with an ACL injury. She reminded fans why her coach, Geno Auriemma, calls her the best player in the country. Bueckers had a great performance in leading his team to the Final Four, recording 28 points, 10 rebounds and six assists against USC.

Another weapon on this UW team is senior forward Aaliyah Edwards. She announced that she plans to enroll in college. WNBA He is expected to be drafted at the end of this season and be a first-round pick. Edwards is an athletic and versatile presence in the paint for the Huskies and leads the team in rebounding.

The Huskies will be aiming for their first national championship since 2016, but first they need to get past Clark and his team. UW did a good job of making things more difficult for freshman superstar JuJu Watkins. It will be interesting to see the strategies and defensive schemes they bring to the semifinal matchup.

2. Iowa

Superstar Caitlin Clark led the team all season, and the Hawkeyes showed the ultimate team effort. LSU They defeated the Tigers 94-87 in the Elite Eight round. Clark will always be a threat on the court for any opponent, but the key to Iowa State winning her a national title will be her supporting cast igniting.

The Hawkeyes are taking note of Gabby Marshall’s strong defense and wouldn’t be surprised if she follows the Buccaneers throughout the game. On Tuesday, head coach Lisa Bruder spoke highly of the fifth-year player, saying, “First of all, Gabby Marshall is a player that we use every game as our best perimeter defensive player. Last night, she… She played 40 minutes for us. She’s a trooper. She goes and does whatever we ask her to do… She remembers scouting and personnel and does things that way. I’ll get the job done.”

Sophomore Hannah Stuelke will have to compete against UW’s Edwards. She, along with teammate Addison O’Grady, had success controlling the injured Angel Reese in her Elite Eight matchup and will need to perform at a similar level Friday night. For the Hawkeyes to really compete, they’ll likely rely on guard Kate Martin for scoring assists, especially with all the attention on Clark.

Clark left the world of college basketball to enter the WNBA Draft, etching his name in the record books and leaving an impact on the game. We know she’s a competitor and we know her intensity that she brings to the court. She wants to win more than anything. That gives Iowa a chance to finish her college career on a high note.

1. South Carolina

With an unblemished 36-0 record and a very talented roster, it’s hard not to call South Carolina a favorite at this point. Shamcocks have many weapons in their team and are always ready to play solid defense. The Sweet 16 and Elite 8 round games proved to be a test for them, but South Carolina still managed to come out victorious. In the Sweet 16 game against Indiana, the University of South Carolina held a 21-point lead with six minutes left in the third quarter, but the Hoosiers chipped away and brought the game within two points in the final minute. Head coach Dawn Staley told reporters after the game, “The only thing I learned is what I already know: My basketball team is resilient and they don’t like to lose.” That’s what I mean.” They were able to play on both sides of the basketball through great plays, poor plays, having leads, building leads and then cutting the deficit to one point to make it a one-possession game. You play to get out of it. ”

This South Carolina team is anchored by Cardoso, a 6-foot-7 senior center who leads the team in points and rebounds per game. But the team can’t forget South Carolina’s talented and quick guards in Raven Johnson, Bree Hall, Tehina Paopao and Milesia Fulwily.Johnson, some of you may remember for this. Viral clip of Caitlin Clark waving his girlfriend off In last year’s semifinal match against Indiana, he made a long-awaited 3-point shot and contributed to the victory. Now a sophomore, he said he has more confidence this time around and has the shooting ability to be a game-changer.

Some may wonder if the Shamcocks have been through enough after Indiana’s upset, but they have held up well against other ranked SEC teams. and won the SEC Tournament title. The way their season has gone, it seems like this is a tournament they should lose.