Women’s Final Four: how to watch and everything to know about the closing stages of women’s NCAA tournament
The Final Four of the Women’s March Madness will be held in Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. Kirby Lee/Imagn Images/Reuters CNN —
After weeks of grueling action, the women’s NCAA tournament is down to just four teams.
The Final Four games will be held on Friday, with both contests being played in Tampa, Florida.
Here’s everything you need to know about the two semifinal clashes with a spot in Sunday’s national championship game on the line.
Texas’ Taylor Jones celebrates with Hook ‘Em the mascot on Monday, March 31, after the Longhorns defeated TCU to clinch a spot in the Final Four. Elaina Eichorn/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
UConn players celebrate after their Elite Eight win over USC on March 31. The Huskies, seeking their 12th national championship, have only missed one Final Four since 2008. Young Kwak/AP
A JuJu Watkins figure stands near USC’s bench during their Elite Eight game against UConn. The superstar suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier in the tournament. Alika Jenner/Getty Images
Auburn center Johni Broome rises for a layup during the Tigers’ Elite Eight win against Michigan State on Sunday, March 30. Broome suffered a scary elbow injury during the second half and had to leave the game, but he returned from the locker room to help the Tigers secure a 70-64 win. Broome, one of the leading candidates for national player of the year, finished with a game-high 25 points and 14 rebounds. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Houston’s Emanuel Sharp is defended by Tennessee’s Igor Milicic Jr. during an Elite Eight game on March 30. Houston won 69-50 after limiting the Volunteers to just 15 first-half points. All four No. 1 seeds advanced to the men’s Final Four for the first time since 2008. Andy Hancock/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley signs an infant’s pants after the Gamecocks’ Elite Eight victory over Duke on March 30. Under Staley, the Gamecocks have made the Final Four in five straight seasons. Vasha Hunt/Imagn Images/Reuters
Players from Duke and South Carolina eye a rebound during their Elite Eight matchup. South Carolina, the defending national champions, booked its Final Four spot with a 54-50 win. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
UCLA head coach Cori Close celebrates with her team after their Elite Eight win over LSU on March 30. It’s the first time that UCLA’s women’s team has made the Final Four. Tyler McFarland/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
LSU’s Aneesah Morrow defends UCLA’s Angela Dugalic on March 30. UCLA is the top overall seed in this year’s tournament. James Snook/Imagn Images/Reuters
LSU head coach Kim Mulkey reacts as UCLA’s Kiki Rice and LSU’s Kailyn Gilbert compete for a loose ball. Three of the four 1-seeds made the Final Four on the women’s side: South Carolina, Texas and UCLA. UConn is a 2-seed. Alika Jenner/Getty Images
Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. cuts down the nets on Saturday, March 29, after the Gators defeated Texas Tech to advance to the Final Four. Florida trailed by nine with just a little more than three minutes left in the game, but Clayton’s 3-point heroics helped the Gators mount a furious comeback to win 84-79. He finished with 30 points. Eakin Howard/Imagn Images/Reuters
Florida band members perform before the team’s Elite Eight game on March 29. Kyle Terada/Imagn Images/Reuters
Duke players celebrate with the East Regional trophy after they crushed Alabama 85-65 in the Elite Eight on March 29. C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
Alabama players respond to media questions in the locker room following their loss to Duke. Alabama made the Final Four last season. Lance King/Getty Images
UConn star Paige Bueckers scored a career-high 40 points during the Huskies’ Sweet Sixteen win over Oklahoma on March 29. Bueckers, a senior, is widely expected to become the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
TCU’s Madison Conner, left, and Notre Dame’s Cassandre Prosper race for a loose ball during a Sweet Sixteen game on March 29. TCU advanced with a 71-62 victory. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
Players from Texas and Tennessee battle for a rebound during a Sweet Sixteen matchup on March 29. Gerald Herbert/AP
Michigan State forward Coen Carr throws down a vicious dunk during the Spartans’ Sweet Sixteen win against Ole Miss on Friday, March 28. Dale Zanine/Imagn Images/Reuters
Auburn players and head coach Bruce Pearl celebrate their Sweet Sixteen victory over Michigan on March 28. Alex Slitz/Getty Images
Houston guard Milos Uzan scores a layup with just 0.9 seconds remaining to lift the Cougars to a 62-60 victory over Purdue in the Sweet Sixteen. The score came off a brilliant inbounds play. Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images/Reuters
UCLA’s Lauren Betts, left, and Ole Miss’ Christeen Iwuala reach for the opening tipoff during a Sweet Sixteen game on March 28. Betts went 15-for-16 during the game and scored 31 points as the Bruins advanced to the Elite Eight. Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg reacts after hitting a 3-pointer against Arizona on March 27. The Blue Devils won a 100-93 shootout to move on to the Elite Eight. Flagg, who is likely to be the top pick in the NBA Draft, had a team-high 30 points and seven assists. Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Khaman Maluach, another one of Duke’s sensational freshmen, dunks against Arizona. Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
Duke players are introduced before the Arizona game. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams hits a late 3-pointer to force overtime in the Sweet Sixteen win over Arkansas on March 27. He would later score the game-winner as the Red Raiders won 85-83. At one point in the second half, Texas Tech trailed by 16 points. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Alabama’s Aden Holloway lets it fly during a Sweet Sixteen game against BYU on March 27. The Crimson Tide hit 25 3-pointers — an NCAA Tournament record — as they won 113-88. Elsa/Getty Images
Alabama’s Karly Weathers, left, shoots over Maryland players during a Sweet Sixteen game on March 24. Maryland won 111-108 in double overtime. Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Alabama’s Sarah Ashlee Barker scored 45 points in the loss to Maryland. It was a school record and one of the highest-scoring games for any player in tournament history. Patrick Smith/Getty Images
UConn’s Paige Bueckers thanks fans in Storrs, Connecticut, after she played her final home game on March 24. The Huskies had just defeated South Dakota State 91-57 in a second-round game. Jessica Hill/AP
USC star JuJu Watkins holds her knee in agony after she injured it during a second-round game against Mississippi State on March 24. She was later ruled out for the rest of the tournament. Jessie Alcheh/AP
Arizona guard Caleb Love drives to the basket during the Wildcats’ second-round win over Oregon on March 23. Love scored a game-high 29 points. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
TCU’s Hailey Van Lith is defended by Louisville’s Olivia Cochran during a second-round game on March 23. Van Lith, who once played for Louisville, had 16 points and 10 assists to help the Horned Frogs win 85-70. Tony Gutierrez/AP
Baylor’s Jeremy Roach reacts after the Bears were knocked out of the tournament by Duke on March 23. Roach played for Duke last season. Chris Carlson/AP
Florida’s Alijah Martin celebrates a dunk in the second half of the Gators’ 77-75 win over defending champion UConn on March 23. UConn also won it all two years ago. Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
UConn head coach Dan Hurley reacts to a call during the second-round loss to Florida. Stephanie Scarbrough/AP
Duke’s Ashlon Jackson strikes a Steph Curry-like “night-night” pose during a second-round win against Oregon on March 23. Jackson scored 20 points — all in the second half. Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images
Kansas State’s Kennedy Taylor, right, celebrates the Wildcats’ second-round win over Kentucky on March 23. Kansas State won 80-79 in overtime. Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Maryland freshman center Derik Queen shoots a game-winning bank shot as time expires, lifting the Terrapins to a 72-71 second-round win over Colorado State on March 23. Ryan Sun/AP
South Dakota State players celebrate their first-round victory over Oklahoma State on March 22. Daniel Passapera/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
NC State students show support for their women’s team in its first-round win over Vermont on March 22. Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Wisconsin’s John Tonje shoots the ball during a second-round game against BYU on March 22. Tonje scored a tournament-high 37 points, but he missed a shot at the buzzer and BYU won 91-89. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Houston guard Emanuel Sharp is defended by Gonzaga’s Dusty Stromer during a second-round game on March 22. Charlie Riedel/AP
Arkansas players mob teammate Johnell Davis following their upset win over St. John’s on March 22. Arkansas, a 7 seed, knocked off the second-seeded Red Storm 75-66. Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
The Arkansas-St. John’s game featured a juicy matchup of longtime rival coaches: Arkansas’ John Calipari, left, and Rick Pitino. Both men won national championships at Kentucky, and they often faced each other when Calipari coached Kentucky and Pitino coached Louisville. Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
The Richmond Spiders, led by head coach Aaron Roussell, react after their first-round victory over Georgia Tech on March 21. It was the first tournament win ever for Richmond’s women’s team. Jay Clendenin/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
The Oregon Duck plays with a security guard during a first-round game on March 21. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
A Colorado State fan celebrates during the Rams’ first-round victory over Memphis on March 21. Colorado State, a 12-seed, defeated the No. 5 seed 78-70. C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
Baylor’s Jalen Celestine is fouled by Mississippi State’s RJ Melendez during a first-round game on March 21. Stephanie Scarbrough/AP
Amir Khan, a student manager with 12-seed McNeese State, celebrates with the team after it knocked off 5-seed Clemson in the first round on March 20. Khan, nicknamed “Aura,” has become famous for being the team’s most vociferous hype-man, rapping with the players and holding a boombox as they exit from the tunnel. Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
Drake’s Tavion Banks dunks during a first-round upset over Missouri on March 20. Drake was an 11-seed and Missouri was a 6-seed. Andy Hancock/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
Washington players huddle before their “First Four” game against Columbia on March 20. Grant Halverson/NCAA Photos/Getty Images
Alabama State players celebrate after scoring with under a second left to win 70-68 in their “First Four” game against St. Francis on March 18. Rick Osentoski/Imagn Images/Reuters The best photos from this year’s March Madness Prev Next How to watch and full schedule
The Final Four tips off at 7 p.m. ET with defending champion No. 1 South Carolina facing No. 1 Texas before No. 1 UCLA takes on No. 2 UConn, with their game tipping off 30 minutes after the previous contest has finished.
Both games will be hosted at the Amalie Arena and both will be shown on ESPN.
No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 1 Texas – 7 p.m.
The first Final Four matchup sees last year’s champion seeking to continue the defense of its title.
The South Carolina Gamecocks have become the team to beat in women’s college basketball in recent years, with head coach Dawn Staley building the team into a perennial winner.
The Gamecocks are aiming to cement their dynasty by winning their third title in four years, thereby becoming the fourth team to win back-to-back national titles, joining Tennessee, Southern California and UConn.
Many of the team’s former star players now ply their trade in the WNBA – such as A’Ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston and Kamilla Cardoso – and the current Gamecock squad has been taking advantage of the ties with those talented alums.
“Relationships are important no matter where you go in life. To be able to talk to alumni and former Gamecocks, it helps our program a lot because they’ve been through it,” guard Te-Hina Paopao told reporters on Thursday.
Head coach Dawn Staley (left), Raven Johnson (center) and Te-Hina Paopao (right) speak to the media ahead of South Carolina’s Final Four appearance. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
“They speak life into us. And (Markeshia Grant) helped us during the season with team bonding and just bringing us closer together and just having that involvement with everyone on the team. And it’s helped us greatly and we learn from it. And we’ve continued to use those team-bonding moments to help us in the long run and experience like this.”
A national title would be Staley’s fourth since joining South Carolina, having already lifted the trophy in 2017, 2022 and 2024.
The Basketball Hall of Fame player-turned-coach has been able to maintain South Carolina’s success on the court despite inevitably losing players to the WNBA, and she explained that building trust between her and her squad is the most important aspect in remaining a winning team.
“You have to condition young people to handle real communication. Because if it just happens once, they’re not going to get it,” the 54-year-old said. “If it happens once and then another, a month later, they really aren’t connecting the two.
“So you have to address everything that’s happening in front of them in real time. And then they’ll get used to it. They may not like what you’re saying, they may like what you’re saying at times.
“That’s what builds trust. It’s not: ‘Oh, I’m the head coach, listen to me.’ That’s old parenting. It’s the new-age parenting that’s out here that kids have a say. They want to be listened to. They have something to offer you. And that is how they’re thinking, how they feel and how they want to move and how they want to operate.”
Standing in the Gamecocks’ way is a Texas team on a magical run. The Longhorns are in their fourth ever Final Four and first since the 2002-03 season.
Texas’ offense has been a key reason for their run throughout this year’s tournament, led by forward Madison Booker who’s averaging 16.5 points per game on 50% shooting from the field.
Booker (No. 35) has been vital to the Longhorns’ run to the Final Four. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
And although Vic Schaefer’s team will come in on a wave of positivity, the Longhorns face a stiff test against South Carolina as they look to win their second national championship. The teams split their two SEC regular season meetings, but Texas lost its two games to the Gamecocks by a combined 36 points, including a 64-45 hammering in the SEC championship game.
In the face of a potential uphill battle against South Carolina, Schaefer said his priority is making sure his players come away from this year’s tournament with no regrets.
“For my kids, I want them to enjoy this. You guys don’t know this, every time they walk in a room somewhere, there’s something there waiting for them,” the Texas head coach told reporters on Thursday. “It’s a box. It’s a pair of shoes. It’s warm-ups. It’s a bag. They can’t wait to leave here go back to the hotel because they think there’s going to be something there for them.
“They need to enjoy this. It’s hard to get here, and yet it is a business trip. They’re good enough. I want them to know that. And for me, there’s so much joy seeing their face, seeing them happy because I know how hard they work. Our kids, they work hard. They embrace toughness. They know we talk about it all the time, and I’m always talking about it.
“It’s one thing to talk it. It’s another thing to walk it. And they don’t like to be told they’ve been punked. They take great pride in not getting punked. When I tell them they’ve gotten punked, they do not like it. So they work hard. So you want them to enjoy it.
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 2 UConn – 9:30 p.m.
Friday’s second Final Four game is also a clash of two teams with vastly different recent histories.
UCLA is playing in its first ever Final Four while for UConn, it is a 24th appearance at this stage of the women’s NCAA tournament.
The emergence of Lauren Betts as a star has been a key component in the Bruins’ success this season, having recorded two 30-point performances so far this tournament already.
The 6’7” center leads the team in points and rebounds per game and has 19 double-doubles which puts her in the top 10 in the country.
When speaking to the media on Thursday, Betts puts her outstanding season in large part down to the “mental work” she’s put in recently, having opened up about her mental health struggles in an article with ESPN where she talked about being bullied for her height.
“I think one of the reasons why I wanted to come out with the story is because I felt like I was finally in the right place to do so,” Betts told reporters. “I think that I just had done a lot of healing since then. I was like: ‘You know what, I just don’t feel like I have to really hide this anymore.’
Betts has blossomed into a star this season for UCLA. Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images/Reuters
“I think the responses that I’ve had since then have truly just validated what I did and what I put out. To help young girls who, I guess, just didn’t really have anyone to look up to, personally, I had mentors and I’m really thankful, but I know there’s a lot of young girls who don’t. I think just for me to be an outlet and to kind of validate their feelings and to know there’s someone out there who is dealing with the same thing that I am is, I think, is just really important.”
UCLA has been the Associated Press’ No. 1 ranked team in the country for most of the year and is seeking to cap off a special season by going one step further on Friday.
Although they are in an uncharted position, UCLA head coach Cori Close isn’t surprised at all: “We expected and believed that we would be in Tampa. And that being said, we’re really grateful, but we are ready to compete.”
But the Bruins must overcome one of women’s basketball’s juggernaut teams to continue their run with UConn seeking to once again book its spot in the national championship game.
Despite historically being a benchmark team in the women’s game, the 11-time national champion Huskies are seeking to return to the top of the mountain having not won a title since 2016.
They are looking to go one step further than last year having lost to Caitlin Clark and Iowa in the Final Four. And with Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd leading the team, UConn could be well positioned to do so.
UConn’s dynamic guard duo – Fudd (No. 35) and Bueckers (not pictured) – have been key to the team’s success this year. Steph Chambers/Getty Images
The Huskies have better scoring, defense, three-point percentage, ball security and free throw percentage than UCLA and produced a brilliant display in the Elite Eight to comfortably beat No. 1 Southern California, which was missing AP national women’s player of the year JuJu Watkins through injury.
Bueckers – who has averaged 30.5 points per game in the Huskies’ last three outings – highlighted the danger Betts will pose when the two teams face off on Friday, while also talking about the weight that comes with playing for UConn as they seek to bring a 12th national championship back to Storrs.
“I think before you even get here, you kind of know the pressures that exist by committing to UConn. So by making that decision to want to come here and try to live up to that and be a part of a legendary program, it’s a decision you have to make even before you step on campus,” the 23-year-old, who is playing in her final college season, said.
“And once you walk inside the practice facility, you see all the history, all the names, all the banners, it’s just motivation. Obviously, there’s expectations here, and anything less than a national championship is really a disappointment. As players, that’s what you play for and what you want to live up to. And the expectations and the pressure, it’s a privilege. So we all look at it as such.”