Final Four Women: Uconn-Clla, South Carolina-Texas

Tampa, they come here. Trio seeds no.

Champion NCAA champion South Carolina will play Texas on Friday (19:00 et), followed by Uconne vs. Teased (21:00 et). Both games are on ESPN.

Which teams will advance to the National Championship Sunday? Our experts consider and unanimously agree with the favorite for one of the semifinals, but they divide into the other finals four.

Go to: Uconn -Cla | Texas-South Carolina

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What to know about uconnu

Factor No. 1 that helped Uconna achieve Final Four: Paige Bueckers. After relatively bad performances in three losses Huskies in the regular season, including 9-Z-22 shooting in the first match with the Trojan rounds in December, Bueckers had three consecutive games with 25-plus points this March. This gave her eight at the NCAA tournament during her last four runs-second player in the last 25 years, the second player, for ESPN research.

And it’s not just scoring Bueckers that makes her the best player of the nation. She added 6 Monday assists and a strong block of Trojia horses Talia von Oelhoffen. At least one big game is waiting for Bueckers in his last attempt at the elusive NCAA championship, but could do nothing more on his way to Tampa.

UCONN key against UCLA: Comparison with deep physical front queues. Huskies are relatively inexperienced in the post where two freshmen begin (Sarah Strong and John El AlphaThe second in his third year on the list, but first in court). This duo will be tested 6-naha-7 UCLA Star Lauren Betts In Friday’s semifinals, with the fact that she could end in South Carolina or Texas.

None of the other three teams in Tampa can equalize the perimetric firepower Huskies with the Bueckers, Azzi advantage and strong. If Uconn can play relatively in color, Geno Auriemma and the company will reduce networks for the first time since 2016. Kevin pelton

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What to know about ucla

Factor No. 1 that helped UCLA to achieve the finals: 6-naha-7 presence Lauren Bettswhose static line Sunday (17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 blocks) qualified – remarkably – as outside the night. After all, Betts scored 30-10 games in the 32 and Sweet 16, combined 29 of 33 of the field.

Betts’s emergence helped Bruins at the level after repeated knocking on the door as an unstoppable power in color. UCLA has reached Sweet 16 six times in the last decade under Cori Close, including Eight Eight in 2018, but this is the first time Bruins advanced to Final Four since 1979 – before the sponsor of the NCAA Basketball. UCLA, led by Hall of Famer Ann Meyers, won the national title AIAW in 1978 and returned in 1979.

Bruins also used last year’s loss for tigers As an important measuring stick And this time he changed the result.

The key against Uconn: The continuation focuses on “Going 1-0”. It was Close’s speaking to avoid looking forward or emphasizing the size of the moment for a program that was not in any of his players so far. Against UConn will be a significant experience against Jano Auriemma, Paige Bueckers and Huskies. Bruins, however, certainly treats Friday’s National Semifinals as another game for the team, which won the total seed No. 1 in the NCAA tournament. – Kevin pelton

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Forecasts Uconn vs. Teased

Charlie Creme: UConn 82 UCLA 78

Alexa Philippou: Uconn 72, UCLA 70

Geno Auriemma once greatly noted that his teams Uconn at the beginning of the 20th year were the best in the country because he had Diana Taurasi and the others not. Although he would probably not be so insolent today, a similar chorus could apply to Bueckers.

How good was Betts, Bueckers was better. In Uconn’s run she was historically good at the 16th final. Four in 17 years (and her fourth). These previous three trips did not create any national championships. Bueckers’ great game, which now also contains a sense of urgency in her last season, will be enough for Huskies to win a close. – Creme

Michael Voepel: UCLA 75, UConn 73

Uconn as a program has all the final four experiences that UCLA lacks. But Bruins doesn’t have to beat Huskies’ history Friday. This year he has to beat this team. One of the keys is to move the ball and also as the whole season: Bruins average 20.4 assists per game, which is fourth in Division I.

Of course, Uconn ranks third in front of them. Defense is another key. The Bueckers was so far in the four NCAA tournament games and shot 58.7% of the field. The UCLA Cori Close coach must challenge his team so that the Bueckers can slow down a little. – Fpe

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What to know about Texas

Factor No. 1 that helped Texas achieve Final Four: The Longhorns composition won Monday’s elite eight game. For some reason, Texas was a top team, and they played Longhorns to hit Tampa’s ticket. The castle frogs entered the horseback game on the excitement of notre dame beating in regional semifinals. Texas could play firmly because there was a pressure on him to win. Longhorns were 7.5 points favorites. Instead, longhorns did what they needed when they needed it.

Texas key against South Carolina: scoring enough points. Monday vs. TCU was an ugly offensive game. The biggest question is not whether Longhorns can stand Gamecocks, but if Texas can get enough points to beat South Carolina to beat South Carolina. At their three meetings this season (two in the regular season and in the SEC tournament), Texas average 53.7 points and broke only 60 in one of them. It was a meeting they won.

Teams were able to brake it with South Carolina, but the disruption of Gamecocks attack and their beating are two different things. To withdraw it, the offense is likely to come from Madison Booker, the leading shooter of Texas. When these two teams met at the SEC championship, Booker fought and gained 10 points in shooting 4 to 13. Texas will need more from Sophomore in advance to earn the bed to the National Championship. – Katie Barnes

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What to know about South Carolina

Factor No. 1, which helped South Carolina to achieve Final Four: He comes to Staples Staley, who founded three national championships in Gamecocks. It brings the mentality that South Carolina will play on Bummer and make fewer mistakes when the bets are the highest. And for the most part, Gamecocks have done this this season, especially late in their victory over Maryland (Sweet 16) and Duke (ELITE EIGHE).

Over the last decade, Staley has also adapted to various mentality since her last four teams. He knows that a lot of heat and fires also do not work with this year’s group, as was the case with some of the past teams. The ability to maintain high standards, but still being flexible, is a big part of why we will see South Carolina in Final Four.

South Carolina’s key against Texas: Getting more from your younger players. Gamecocks managed to overcome the Dukes, although they got only 54 points and did not get much of their young stars. Sophomores Mailasia Fulwileia and Tessa Johnson and a newcomer Joyce Edwards Combined to get only nine points at 4-Z-14 shooting with seven turns.

As reliable as the initial veterinarian in South Carolina – Kitts, Feagin, Bree Hall, Hary refused and Raven Johnson – They are likely that Gamecocks will need their young players to contribute much more to win two victories in Tampa, Florida. – Michael Voepel

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Texas vs. South Carolina

Charlie Creme: South Carolina 62, Texas 59

Alexa Philippou: South Carolina 63, Texas 52

Michael Voepel: South Carolina 65, Texas 60

When Texas and South Carolina meet on Friday, there will be no surprises. The fourth meeting between the two best teams in SEC will be decided by a representative of the national title conference. Like the first three meetings, two of whom won South Carolina, they expect this to be dictated by defense. They are the two best in the country. Only one opponent of each of the NCAA tournament scored more than 60 points in the game. And at three meetings between Gamecocks and Longhorns, 67 points of South Carolina were 12.

When they met at the title of SEC tournament on March 1, Gamecocks completely shut down Texas 64-45. This one should be closer, but to give South Carolina the advantage to advance to the Sunday title game. – Creme