Defending Champion South Carolina Advances to NCAA Championship Against UConn After Final Four Victory
South Carolina defeated Texas 74-57, setting up a title game rematch with UConn, who routed UCLA 85-51 in the other semifinal.
Summary
In the Final Four, South Carolina triumphed 74-57 over Texas, led by 14 points from Te-Hina Paopao and a dominating performance from the bench. Freshman Joyce Edwards contributed 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists as the Gamecocks built a lead after a slow start. UConn advanced by crushing UCLA 85-51, led by Sarah Strong's 22 points and Azzi Fudd's 19. This championship matchup is a rematch of last year's title, where South Carolina claimed victory. With a chance for back-to-back titles on the line, both teams are poised for a fierce showdown.
Sources (25)
- South Carolina's strong performance under coach Dawn Staley reflects a successful program focused on building relationships and developing trust, indicating a positive trend in women's college basketball.
- The excitement surrounding the Final Four underscores the growth of women's sports, with teams like UCLA making historic appearances and star players like Paige Bueckers achieving significant milestones, though the injury to JuJu Watkins has dampened some expectations for rivalries.
- Critics argue that the dominance of a few elite programs limits opportunities for underdog teams, suggesting a need for varied competition in the NCAA tournament, especially in light of the predictability observed in this year's brackets.
The Guardian·2M· "…South Carolina broke open the game in the third quarter with an 11-0 run started by Edwards’ driving layup, and Texas never got closer than 10 the rest of the way."
MSNBC·2M· "…For better or worse, those storylines have fed the surge in interest in women’s college basketball."
Rolling Stone·2M· "…Although UCLA is the higher-ranked team in tonight’s matchup, Connecticut is an 8.5-point favorite after their dominant performance in the tournament so far."
Rolling Stone·2M· "…As the reigning champions and one of the country’s most dominant programs, South Carolina is the favorite tonight in a 4.5-point spread."
CNN·2M· "…The Gamecocks are aiming to cement their dynasty by winning their third title in four years, thereby becoming the fourth team to win back-to-back national titles, joining Tennessee, Southern California and UConn."
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