The Women’s NCAA Final Four teams have been decided, and the semifinal games on Friday are expected to be thrilling matchups.
According to Nielsen, the Elite Eight game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and LSU drew 12.3 million viewers on ESPN, setting the stage for a highly anticipated game between Iowa and UConn in the Final Four. Two of the brightest stars in women’s college basketball, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, are set to face off in an upcoming game that promises to be a nail-biter.
Clark scored an impressive 41 points and 12 assists while also breaking NCAA records in the win against LSU. Thanks to her outstanding performance, she was named the Regional Most Outstanding Player and surpassed former Oklahoma player Taylor Robertson to become the all-time Division I leader in career 3-pointers and NCAA Tournament career 3-pointers.
After leading the Huskies to an 80-73 victory against the USC Trojans, Bueckers was selected as the region’s Most Outstanding Player. She scored 28 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out six assists in the big win over the Trojans.
Here are the predictions for Friday’s both women’s Final Four games.
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Women’s Final Four Predictions
Bleacher Report: South Carolina over NC State, Iowa beats UConn
Regarding South Carolina vs. NC State, Joe Tansey writes: “South Carolina is unsurprisingly a double-digit favorite over NC State. That is a role the Gamecocks have been in four times in the NCAA tournament. Kamilla Cardoso and Co. produced a trio of double-digit wins and survived a Sweet 16 scare from the Indiana Hoosiers. The Wolfpack have the potential to stay within single digits. They went 7-3 against ranked opposition in the regular season. However, it will take a perfect performance for the Wolfpack to pull off what would be one of the more extraordinary Women’s Final Four upsets.”
For the UConn vs Iowa matchup, Joe Tansey writes: “Both superstars will be expected to reach the 30-point threshold in a showdown of the game’s top two scorers. Clark owns a slight edge because of the higher point totals and three-point range that she displayed throughout her Iowa career. Iowa also holds a depth advantage over the Huskies, who are relying on 6-7 players per game due to a slew of injuries that hit in the first few months of the regular season. If Iowa gets UConn into any foul trouble, the Huskies could struggle to contain Clark. An Iowa win would likely set up a colossal showdown between the best individual player in the sport against the gold-standard program of the last decade.”
The Athletic: South Carolina, Iowa
For South Carolina vs. N.C. State, Grace Raynor and Sabreena Merchant write: “If we assume both teams’ guards will have their moments, it seems like this game will come down to who’s better down low. N.C. State forward River Baldwin likely will be in charge of Cardoso. She and the Wolfpack already matched up well against Stanford’s Cameron Brink in the Sweet 16, but Cardoso could be an even more imposing challenge. South Carolina’s bench will also be a major challenge from the Wolfpack. The Gamecocks are built for March, averaging nearly 34 points per game from their reserves.”
For UConn vs. Iowa, Grace Raynor and Sabreena Merchant write: “Iowa and UConn both rated as top-five offenses during the regular season, per Her Hoop Stats, so this should be a fun one. The Huskies have a better defense on paper, but there is no challenge quite like defending Clark. The way she is rolling, it’s hard to bet against her putting together a storybook finish to her collegiate career.”
Sporting News: South Carolina, Iowa
Regarding South Carolina vs. NC State, Bill Bender writes: “There is regional appeal in this game in the Carolinas. Fulwiley and forward Ashlyn Watkins (9.4 ppg.) are from South Carolina. Rivers is a North Carolina native. Expect those women to be at their best in a highly-charged setting. The Gamecocks led by an average of 10 points at halftime in their last two games before letting their opponents back in. N.C. State needs the 3-pointers to fall – especially from James – to have a chance. It could be closer at halftime, but Cardoso helps the Gamecocks pull away in the fourth quarter.”
In his UConn vs. Iowa prediction, Bill Bender writes: “This tournament continues to revolve around Clark – who will be a high-volume shooter but will also keep her teammates involved throughout the action. Neither team has a deep bench, so foul trouble will be a factor. Clark and Bueckers likely will not leave the floor. Expect another instant classic, but Clark hits the clutch shots in crunch time again. UConn is 0-5 S/U when their opponents score 78 points or more. That is the magic number for Iowa, and they will hit it.”
How to watch NCAA Women’s Basketball March Madness 2024
All games will be broadcast across ABC and ESPN. Here are additional streaming options to watch all the action on your devices.
How to watch March Madness: Watch all tournament games with a subscription to fuboTV
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Women’s Final Four: Predictions for NCAA tournament games in Cleveland
