The Final Four is set! UConn and UCLA punched their tickets to Phoenix on Sunday, with the Huskies downing Notre Dame in Fort Worth, Texas, before the Bruins battled back against Duke in Sacramento, California.
Texas is also headed to the desert after routing Michigan on Monday night, and South Carolina rode a sensational second half against TCU to reach its sixth straight Final Four. If that combination sounds familiar, you’re not alone — those are the same four teams that made the Final Four last year.
ESPN has you covered for all of the action, with Kendra Andrews, Charlotte Gibson, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel on site at both regionals. Below, they break down the keys to each team’s win Monday, as well as its strength through the tournament.
Jump to: How Texas beat Michigan | How South Carolina beat TCU Relive the action
Final Four opponent: vs. UConn (Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
How South Carolina won: The Gamecocks are no strangers to high-pressure games with titles on the line, and they’re no strangers to the Elite Eight. That experience was crucial after the Horned Frogs took an early lead, but before the first quarter ended, the Gamecocks showed TCU who was in charge. Not even TCU’s star guard Olivia Miles could shut down South Carolina. Though Miles tried to outmaneuver the Gamecocks’ defense with her strategic passes and high-level basketball IQ, South Carolina wasn’t falling for it. Freshman Agot Makeer and sophomore Joyce Edwards 44 were the difference-makers in this game. Despite struggling against Virginia, the duo took over in the second half Monday. Edwards finished with 24 points, and Makeer ended with 18 points.
No. 1 factor that helped the Gamecocks reach the Final Four: South Carolina plays to its strengths. And Monday, Makeer and Edwards shouldered the burden for the Gamecocks. Edwards, who finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, led the Gamecocks to some of the biggest offensive opportunities of the night. Meanwhile, Makeer continues to shine on the biggest stages of her career. Makeer has set career highs in scoring during the tournament, and finished with 18 points against TCU. The young players were the difference in the matchup against TCU, and if the Gamecocks continue to lean on their strengths and feed into their players who go on hot streaks, they can be unstoppable in the Final Four.— Charlotte Gibson
Final Four opponent: vs. UCLA (Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
How Texas won: The Longhorns raced ahead 22-9 after the first quarter and never looked back. They led by 13 points at half and used a 21-6 run to end the third quarter that really put the score out of reach.
Coach Vic Schaefer’s teams always have a strong defensive identity, but the Longhorns’ offense was also dominant early in Monday’s game, when Texas made 11 of 12 field goal attempts to start the game. The Longhorns had offensive lulls as the game progressed, but their defensive effort remained excellent. The Wolverines shot just 23%, including 2-for-15 from 3, and had 15 turnovers. Michigan sophomore stars Olivia Olson, Syla Swords and Mila Holloway really struggled in their first Elite Eight, finishing a combined 9-of-40 from the floor and committing nine turnovers. Schaefer likely couldn’t have asked for much more from his Texas squad.
No. 1 factor that helped the Longhorns reach the Final Four: Schaefer said Texas is playing its best basketball of the season after the Longhorns’ Sweet 16 win. This is only a little more than six weeks after he called out the team for having “no heart” and being “probably the softest team I’ve had in years” after its 86-70 loss to Vanderbilt on Feb. 12.
South Carolina’s Elite Eight game is still on tap, but is it time to consider Texas the best team left in the field? The Longhorns’ combination of experience, depth, defensive tenacity and offensive firepower could lead Texas to its first national title since 1986. — Alexa Philippou
