Reflection and predictions of the final Final’s final’s: UCLA or UCONN? South Carolina or Texas?

The land is planned for the Final Fourndowns on Friday. Our experts break down games and make predictions.

Follow to see who has the advantage when the matches go to Tampa.

N ° 1 Caroline du Sud against Texas n ° 1

7 p.m. Friday, ESPN

The two programs at the top of the SEC will meet in Tampa with a place in the national championship at stake. It will be a revenge match of the SEC tournament championship which took place only three weeks ago, a match in South Carolina won 64-45. It will also be the fourth time that schools have been playing this season. The Gamecocks lead the global series 2-1.

These programs have a lot in common. The two have physical and aggressive defenses. In attack, both are effective and among the best in the country. Texas relies on the beat teams around the basket, marking more than 60% of its points in the paint, but the South Carolina offers just over 3 points in its offensive diet.

It is difficult to imagine that important surprises arise before Friday. The Longhorns will surely know that the Gamecocks will pack the painting and dare their opponent to pull 3. Texas is the last of the country at 3 points and only took 1 out of 8 at their meeting in early March. South Carolina will anticipate the pressure of the Texas balloon. The second quarter was the difference in their meeting of the dry tournament, while South Carolina dominated Texas during this period 21-6. The Longhorns had six of their seven reversals in the first half in the second quarter and drew only 3 o 12 on the field. They also had defensive tricks because Chloe Kitts and Sania Feagin combined to score nine points while South Carolina pulled 53.3% in the frame. In the other three quarters, the Gamecocks had only one differential differentials. The two teams will seek to avoid lops, and both have seen their offenses sometimes trigger in the elite eight.

The 𝕥𝕣𝕚𝕡𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 pic.twitter.com/pxlhm7ge0o

– South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@gamecockwbb) March 31, 2025

Which controls the painting will greatly contribute to determining who is progressing. During the Longhorns victory over the Gamecocks in early February, Texas scored 40 painting points and maintained South Carolina only 26 – down compared to their average of 42.1. As part of their success, Longhorns also transported 15 offensive rebounds and converted these chances for 19 second chance points. The Texas Madison Booker wing enters as the most dangerous solo in the match, after winning the dry player of the dry year, was appointed from the first All-American team and won the honors of the most remarkable players in Birmingham 3 on Monday evening. But the Gamecocks – with their length and various defensive options led by Bree Hall – have largely smothered Booker. It represents on average only 12.3 points out of 25.9% against southern Carolina during their three meetings and has more reversals (eight) than decisive passes (four). That Booker can shine will be another key.

What South Carolina is lacking in a singular star, he has in a very talented list. Six players on average between eight and 13 points per game, and no one will have an average of 11 shooting attempts. The depth allows Coach Dawn Staley to pivot quickly when making the adjustments, and it can make the preparation difficult for opponents – there is no only player to load. Familiarity will help Texas in the period, but it will not predict what the South Carolina player will be.

Sabreena Merchant: South Carolina

Ben Pickman: South Carolina

Grace Raynor: South Carolina

Cameron Teague Robinson: Texas

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N ° 1 UCLA VS. No. 2 UCONN

9:30 p.m. Friday, ESPN

The two teams present a player who turned out to be near: Lauren Betts de l’Ucla and Paige Bueckers d’Uconn. Both come to Tampa after impressive regional projections. In this sense, this game could be summed up which will be able to tilt the scales of its team.

Uconn will not be able to defend Betts head-on, so it will take an approach to the committee-a bit like Betts has seen this season this season-to try to slow down the 6-inch all-American center. On the other side, even with their deep guard game and their options on the defensive, there is no unique bruin that can go on foot with Bueckers and its elite capacities. In her last season with the Huskies, her mission is to reduce these nets to Tampa – this additional motivation made her very dangerous.
In this regard, with two unstoppable players like Betts and Bueckers on both sides, he could then be summed up in which Bet Better’s support is at the moment. UCONN first -year student Sarah Strong was spectacular this season, but particularly recently. In the Elite Eight Huskies match against the USC, the Frosh finished with 20 points out of 8 shots and she managed more than 20 point games in three of the last six Huskies games. Conversely, the sniper Azzi Fudd fought powerfully in this game, but if it can go beyond the arc, the three-headed monster of Bueckers-Fudd-Song can be an unequaled force, in particular with players like Ashlynn Shade and KK Arnold who are triggered as reinforcements.

For the UCLA, while Betts opens the way with 20 points per game, it has a peloton around it (the Bruins are really nine deep) which can execute their roles near perfection. Whether goalkeeper Kiki Rice commanding the floor and going to his spots or 6 feet 4 inches Gardiner or Londynn Jones 5 feet 4 inch, cutting 3s with precision or Janiah Barker cleaner in the painting.
This game has the two largest individual stars still in the playoffs and incredible support actors. This is the 24th trip of the UCONN coach, the coach of the coach Auriemma, in the Final Four and the UCLA coach, Cori Close, feels like a chess match that was just waiting to occur. What star shines the most brilliant and which group around them supports this performance? With the depth of the UCLA and the absence of a presence of equal painting on the UCONN list, this game is slightly in favor of Bruins. – Chantel Jennings

Choice of experts

Chantel Jennings: UCLA

Sabreena Merchant: UCLA

Ben Pickman: Uconn

Grace Raynor: Uconn

Cameron Teague Robinson: Uconn

(Top Photo: Tyler McFarland / NCAA photos via Getty Images)