Powerful programs back in title hunt

The Teams

South Carolina has been the major-ranked group in the AP poll all period. The Gamecocks missing by one to Stanford in last year’s semifinal. The Gamecocks’ initial and only title arrived in 2017. South Carolina has the prime defence in the nation and has won its video games by an ordinary of 24 factors this tournament, but its pedestrian offence (58^th in the country) is why some come to feel there could be an upset. 

Although most pundits had South Carolina as the group to beat heading into the tournament, Stanford has obtained traction. The California group has won 23 video games in a row and is two victories away from its fourth title. 

UConn is building an astounding 14^th consecutive excursion to the Closing Four. The Huskies direct the nation with 11 nationwide championships. Riddled by injuries all time, the Huskies survived a second-round scare against Central Florida and then bought to play in their dwelling point out for the 3rd and fourth rounds, beating No. 1 North Carolina State in a double-time beyond regulation traditional in Bridgeport to advance. 

Louisville, in spite of getting incredibly constant, may possibly be the university with the most to prove. The Cardinals have never gained the countrywide title and they could be explained, if there is these a detail, as an below-the-radar No. 1 seed. Louisville is in the Remaining Four for the to start with time considering that 2018. 

The Coaches

South Carolina’s Dawn Staley was named the national mentor of the yr for the second time on Wednesday. She has guided the Gamecocks to the Closing 4 4 moments in the previous seven a long time. A six-time WNBA all-star as a participant, Staley has been at South Carolina given that 2008. 

Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer, with 1,157 job victories, is the winningest mentor in NCAA women’s basketball history. The indigenous of Melrose, Mass., begun at Stanford in 1985, taking one particular year off (1995-96) to coach the countrywide staff. 

UConn’s Geno Auriemma is just nine wins powering VanDerveer in the race for best place. Like VanDerveer, he’s been at his university because 1985. The Italian-born Auriemma, who moved with his spouse and children to Pennsylvania when he was 7, has guided the Huskies to all 11 of their countrywide titles, including four in a row from 2013-16. 

Louisville’s Jeff Walz does not have the very same title recognition as his opponents, but he has gained 78.9 for every cent of his video games since having the reins of the software in 2007. His staff has been runner-up at the Remaining 4 two times. 

The Star Players

South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston was named the countrywide player of the 12 months on Wednesday. A native of the Virgin Islands, Boston missed a suggestion-in at the buzzer of previous year’s semifinal decline to Stanford. Considering the fact that then, she has been nearly unstoppable. The six-foot-5 junior forward averaged 16.8 details and 12.2 rebounds this time. She has three double-doubles in the tournament. 

Stanford has a huge 1-2 punch with level guard Haley Jones and ahead Cameron Brink. Jones is coming off again-to-back double-doubles and was the top rated player at the Ultimate Four very last year. Brink averaged 13.4 factors and 8.1 rebounds this time when shooting 56.1 for each cent from the field. 

UConn’s Paige Bueckers, the player of the calendar year last period as a freshman (the to start with to achieve that feat), underwent knee surgical procedure in December after struggling a tibial plateau fracture. Bueckers returned in February and while she was slow to hit her stride, the point guard had 27 details and 6 rebounds in the extraordinary gain over South Carolina. Now, the Minnesota native will get to participate in incredibly shut to the place she grew up. 

Louisville’s Hailey Van Lith is the initially Cardinals participant in heritage to have 4 consecutive game titles with 20 or additional factors in the NCAA match. The level guard used time schooling with Kobe Bryant at his academy in the course of her significant-college days. 

The Canadians

For the second year in a row, all four groups in the Closing Four have a Canadian – South Carolina’s Laeticia Amihere (Mississauga, Ont.), Stanford’s Alyssa Jerome (Toronto), Louisville’s Merissah Russell (Ottawa) and UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards (Kingston, Ont.). 

Edwards will be a important participant for UConn just after fellow forward Dorka Juhasz endured a period-ending wrist injuries past week. The six-foot-3 sophomore was reliable in two online games previous weekend, averaging 9.5 points and eight rebounds.