Louisville will play in the Final Four for the first time in a year after defeating Michigan. (1:45) The Final Four of the women is set. Three No. 1 seeds are going to Minneapolis. The second-seeded Connecticut Huskies will join the other four teams in the national semifinals after a double-overtime thriller. The top-seeded NC State Wolfpack was knocked out of the NCAA tournament on Monday. The Bluejays were thrashed by South Carolina for a second consecutive trip, while the Longhorns were beaten by the defending national champion. Louisville made its first Final Four in a year on Monday, when it defeated the Michigan Wolverines. The teams bring a lot of talent and intriguing storylines to the table. South Carolina has made four appearances in seven years. The top-ranked team in the AP has been the favorite to win the trophy for much of the season. Louisville fashions itself as a plucky underdog. The depth of the team is tremendous and they have been dominant in the tournament. This season has been different for the team that has historically entered the playoffs among the favorites. Who will win the trophy is anyone's guess, but the match ups look exquisite. South Carolina plays Louisville in the Final Four on Friday. The two teams are playing against each other at 9:30 p.m. The program is on the cable network, ESPN. The University of Connecticut's men's basketball team.
2021-22 record: 29-5
Final Four appearances: 21
Championships: 11 (1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
In a thrilling double-overtime victory over NC State, the University of Connecticut punched its ticket to a 14th consecutive Final Four. resilience is the one word that describes the season. The team that ran roughshod over the Big East without playing a close game is a far cry from the one that is dealing with a combination of injuries and illnesses. The question is whether that resilience will be enough to get them to the title game.
Pick the winner of each game of the women's NCAA tournament. Play a tournament.
The sophomore guard is leading the team. After missing 19 games with a tibial plateau fracture and torn meniscus, Bueckers returned to form against NC State with 27 points. She is the driver. Freshman Azzi Fudd and senior Christyn Williams have been key contributors to the Huskies. While their offense mostly clicked against the Wolfpack, there were spots where they reverted to their old ways.
Dorka Juhasz left the game in the second quarter with a wrist injury and will likely be out for a while. Her recovery timetable is unknown, but if she is unavailable for the Final Four, the Huskies will be without a key competitor who helps them stretch the floor. The absence of Juhasz will make things more difficult for the Huskies, but they have battled through challenging situations all season.
When the Huskies were favored to win the title last year, they were a bit of an underdog. That is a new feeling for this program.
The next game is against Cardinal on Friday at 9:30 p.m. The program is on the cable network, ESPN.
Geno Auriemma is a fan of the University of Connecticut's advancement to their 14th straight Final Four.
The Louisville Cards.
The record was 29-4.
Final Four appearances: 4
Championships: 0
If a team can spin an underestimation out of a No. 1 seed, they have done it. No one is talking about our narrative as motivation for the first two weeks of the tournament. They will probably not have to stop.
Much of the attention heading into the Final Four is likely to go to other teams, since South Carolina is the season-long favorite. That doesn't mean the Cards can't get top billing.
The defense will be the driving force if they do. Michigan seemed powerless against Louisville in the regional final. The game was tied at one point in the final 6:40, but the Wolverines stared at the shot clock.
Twice the season, Louisville allowed more than 70 points. If his offense can get to 70, Jeff Walz gives his team a chance. The run is even more impressive since the Cards only scored one in the tournament. Someone else will need to provide consistent offense for Louisville. Van Lith, who was 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 She became the first Louisville player to score at least 20 points in four NCAA tournament games in a row. In the first half, Kianna Smith and Chelsie Hall both hit double figures. If Emily Engstler can find her shooting stroke again, getting to 70 becomes a reality again.
The task gets even more difficult with the nation's best defense waiting. Louisville should be happy if the role has worked so far. South Carolina will get a lot of attention.
The next game is against South Carolina. The program is on the cable network, ESPN.
South Carolina football team.
2021-22 record: 33-2
Final Four appearances: 4
Championships: 1 (2017)
South Carolina is in the Final Four for the second year in a row. The Gamecocks have made the Final Four in four of the past seven seasons, and they are one step closer to avenging their loss in the national semifinals. The questions surrounding South Carolina have been focused on the team's offense. In their four March Madness games, the Gamecocks are scoring 69.3 points, which is 1.6 below their season average. South Carolina's regular-season average of 70.8 points ranks 58th in Division I, and since 2000, no national champion has ranked outside the top 25 in scoring.
South Carolina will be able to buck that trend if it has the strength of its defense. In the second round, the Gamecocks only put up 49 points, but they held Miami to 33. South Carolina can be just as bad on the boards. South Carolina got 20 more boards than the Bluejays, and that resulted in 15 second-chance points.
How national player of the year hopeful Aliyah Boston plays will affect South Carolina. Boston has a tremendous impact defensively and on the offensive side of the ball when she gets touches. She is the only player on the short list for both national player of the year and defensive player of the year. The support cast of Destanni Henderson, Zia Cooke, Brea Beal, and Victaria Saxton will likely make the difference for the championship prospects.
The ability to win games is what makes a champion. South Carolina, the wire-to-wire AP No. 1 team this season, has proved it can win almost any way it wants.
The next game is against Louisville on Friday at 7 p.m. The program is on the cable network, ESPN.
The Cardinal is from the state of California.
2021-22 record: 32-3
Final Four appearances: 15
Championships: 3 (1990, 1992, 2021)
Brink isn't the reason for the national championship. She could be this year. Brink changes who the Cardinal are from game to game.
A good defense becomes great. A lineup is impossible to match. Brink has a propensity for foul trouble with kid gloves. The sophomore needs to be on the floor at the most important moments.
Brink was involved in most of them during the regional final. Brink was on the bench most of the second quarter with two fouls and the Cardinal erupted to start the third. The five quick points by her made her regain control. When the dribble drive became too much for the Cardinal defense to handle, VanDerveer went to a rarely used zone and invited the Longhorns to throw the ball into the post. She wanted the Longhorns to play one-on-one with Brink. They could not. Texas had to move on to a different plan after three Brink blocks. Brink forced the Longhorns to change their strategy. She scored all 10 of her points in the third and blocked three of her six shots as the Cardinal took a five-point lead into the final 10 minutes.
Brink is the leading scorer and rebounder for the Cardinal, but she is also the X factor of all X factors. She is not the best player on the team but she uses a secret sauce to make the meal just right and prays foul trouble doesn't ruin it. Brink is third in the country in win shares per 40 minutes. Brink is 23rd in overall win shares, which shows how important she is to the team.
When Brink is behind them, Anna Wilson and Lexie Hull can be more aggressive defensively. Brink gives a unique player in Haley Jones, a point guard who was last season's Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four, the perfect landing spot for her outstanding passing skills.
VanDerveer usually manages Brink's foul trouble or the potential for it brilliantly. There is only so much a coach can do. Brink has to stay on the court. Brink will be the most difficult one-on-one opponent, apart from South Carolina's Boston, on either end of the court in Minneapolis if she does.
The next game is against Connecticut on Friday at 9:30 p.m. The program is on the cable network, ESPN.
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