PHOENIX — For only the second time in the history of women’s college basketball, the same four teams are back on the sport’s biggest stage in consecutive years. South Carolina, UConn, UCLA, and Texas — the four preseason favorites — have all delivered on their promise, converging on Phoenix for a Final Four that feels both inevitable and electric.
The last time this happened, Tennessee, Georgia, UConn, and Stanford repeated in 1995 and 1996. Back then, the storylines shifted dramatically between years — UConn won it all in 1995, Tennessee reclaimed the throne in 1996. History suggests familiarity breeds unpredictability. This weekend may prove no different.
The Field
#1 South Carolina — The Hottest Team in the Bracket
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| #16 Southern | W 103-34 |
| #9 USC | W 101-61 |
| Oklahoma | W 94-68 |
| TCU | W 78-52 |
The Gamecocks entered as the fourth overall seed, but no team in the tournament has looked more dominant. Their average margin of victory stands at a staggering 40.3 points — a number that strains credibility and demands attention. The most compelling development, however, has been the emergence of Agot Makeer, who has exploded from averaging under six points per game during the regular season to nearly 15 points in the tournament, while also assuming primary defensive responsibility against opponents’ top offensive threats.
That kind of unexpected production from a role player changes everything about South Carolina’s ceiling. It means opponents can no longer scheme exclusively around Raven Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson. The Gamecocks have become genuinely difficult to prepare for.
Head-to-head history vs. the field: Texas (6-5), UCLA (4-2), UConn (5-11)
#1 UConn — Unbeaten, But Not Untested
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| UTSA | W 90-52 |
| Syracuse | W 98-45 |
| North Carolina | W 63-42 |
| Notre Dame | W 70-52 |
UConn arrives in Phoenix with a perfect record and a legitimate shot at becoming the 11th program in women’s basketball history — and the seventh in their own storied program — to finish a season undefeated. But the road has offered some cautionary notes. North Carolina led after the first quarter and held the Huskies to 40% shooting. Notre Dame remained competitive deep into the game before UConn pulled away.
These are not red flags so much as yellow ones. The Huskies have survived every challenge, but they have not looked like a team that is simply beyond being beaten. Against South Carolina or Texas on Friday night, that distinction will matter.
Head-to-head history vs. the field: South Carolina (11-5), UCLA (8-1), Texas (10-1)
#1 UCLA — Lauren Betts and a Roster That Finds a Way
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| Cal Baptist | W 96-43 |
| Oklahoma State | W 87-68 |
| Minnesota | W 80-56 |
| Duke | W 70-58 |
Of the four teams, UCLA has been the most tested, and the Elite Eight game against Duke was the only moment in this entire bracket where any of these programs genuinely appeared in danger of elimination. The Bruins survived by leaning on what they always lean on: Lauren Betts. When the game tightened and the margin for error shrunk, she imposed herself and restored order.
That kind of high-leverage dependability is worth more than clean margins in early-round blowouts. UCLA has also absorbed the only blemish the group shares with each other — Texas handed them their sole regular season loss in Las Vegas in November. A rematch in Phoenix would carry significant weight.
Head-to-head history vs. the field: South Carolina (2-4), Texas (7-7), UConn (1-8)
#1 Texas — Peaking at the Right Moment
| Opponent | Result |
|---|---|
| Missouri State | W 87-45 |
| Oregon | W 100-58 |
| Kentucky | W 76-54 |
| Michigan | W 77-41 |
Texas may be the team no one wants to face right now. The Longhorns have been on a sustained run of dominant basketball dating back to the SEC Tournament final against South Carolina, jumping on opponents early and making games functionally uncompetitive by halftime. At the center of it all is Madison Booker, who is playing the best basketball of her career at precisely the right moment.
The timing is everything. Hot teams in late March and early April have a psychological edge that statistics don’t fully capture — and Texas looks like a program that has found its rhythm and refuses to give it back.
Head-to-head history vs. the field: South Carolina (5-6), UCLA (7-7), UConn (1-10)
The Storylines
Rematches with teeth. These four programs do not have abstract familiarity — they have genuine, recent, high-stakes history with one another. South Carolina and Texas have played seven times across the last two seasons alone, including back-to-back SEC Tournament championship games and last season’s national semifinal. Every game between them arrives with accumulated context and competitive grievance.
The chalk held — and for good reason. Before a single game was played, these were the four favorites. That they all delivered is a testament to the genuine gap between this group and the rest of the field. The seven combined losses among them? Four came against each other.
UConn’s unbeaten pursuit. Two years after South Carolina completed a perfect season — becoming the 10th program ever to do so — UConn stands on the doorstep of history. The Huskies are trying to close out an undefeated campaign and cement themselves among the most elite teams the sport has ever produced. Standing between them and that legacy are three programs that know exactly how to beat them.
Final Four Schedule — Phoenix
Media Day: April 2
- 12:50 PM ET — South Carolina
- 2:05 PM ET — UConn
- 4:40 PM ET — Texas
- 5:55 PM ET — UCLA
Semifinals: Friday, April 3
- 7:00 PM ET — South Carolina vs. UConn
- 9:30 PM ET — UCLA vs. Texas
Championship Game: Sunday, April 5
- 3:30 PM ET
The four best teams in the country, assembled in the desert, with history on the line. Phoenix is ready. The only question is who leaves with the trophy.
