The women’s Final Four is a true gauntlet — all No. 1 seeds, all returning from last year’s semifinals. Index fingers point up for battles of the very best.
Friday night opens with swaggering South Carolina and unbeaten Connecticut. It’s a rematch of the 2025 national title game, which UConn took decisively. Revenge lingers for the Gamecocks; perfection nears for the Huskies. The nightcap pairs Texas and UCLA, two-way juggernauts with first-team All-Americans. The Bruins have one loss all season — it was to the Longhorns. The winner of that grudge match reaches the championship round for the first time in decades.
All times ET. Efficiency stats from BartTorvik.com.
Women’s March Madness, Final Four schedule
GameTimeTVStream
South Carolina vs. UConn
7 p.m.
ESPN
Texas vs. UCLA
9:30 p.m.
ESPN
ESPN programs are also available with an ESPN Unlimited subscription.
What to know about the broadcast
The ESPN A-team is on both calls. Longtime telecaster Ryan Ruocco takes play-by-play, and he’s flanked by former UConn great Rebecca Lobo for color commentary. Holly Rowe reports from the floor. This is the trio’s sixth Final Four together.
Christine Williamson anchors the studio program alongside Andraya Carter and Chiney Ogwumike. There’s also a new ESPN2 alt-cast called “Courtside at the Women’s Final Four.” Guests there include WNBA star Chelsea Gray and the “Stud Budz,” Natisha Hiedeman and Courtney Williams.
No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 1 UConn
Dawn Staley coaches up South Carolina with her usual trademarks. The Gamecocks are tough, deep and disciplined. They’re third in offensive rating and effective field goal percentage.
Gravity bends toward forward Joyce Edwards, who had 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Elite Eight surge past TCU. Edwards carves out lanes for Ta’Niya Latson — she exhausted Oklahoma in the Sweet 16 with 28 points on just 11 shots. Kenyan center Madina Okot puts a lid on the rim; guards Raven Johnson and Tessa Johnson are better than 40 percent from beyond the arc.
Edwards seeks redemption after going 4-for-12 against Connecticut in the 2025 title game. The Johnsons combined to go 3-of-13 in that blowout loss. South Carolina is seldom cast in the underdog light, but UConn has been the nation’s No. 1 team since preseason polling.
The defending NCAA champs hit the desert at a flawless 38-0. They rank first in 2-point percentage, effective field goal percentage and defensive rating. Sarah Strong is the AP National Player of the Year as a sophomore. She’s become an inside-out bucket-getter with magnetic passing touch and elastic defense.
When Strong wants to cede a possession, UConn morphs around Azzi Fudd. The senior staple buried eight 3s in her final home game, a second-round trouncing of Syracuse. For extra kick, Connecticut brings Ecuadorian freshman Blanca Quiñonez off the bench. She dropped a 20-piece on Notre Dame last weekend.
Despite its overall dominance, Geno Auriemma’s crew has navigated through a few funky quarters. The Huskies actually trailed UNC after the Sweet 16’s opening period. They struggled to a 12-point, six-turnover second quarter in the Elite Eight. These vulnerabilities come in brief spurts, but they can’t be afforded versus a fellow No. 1 seed.
National championships
South Carolina: 3. The Gamecocks won in 2017, 2022 and 2024, all under Staley.
UConn: 12. All came under Auriemma, ranging from 1995 to last year.
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 1 UCLA
Each side took a stinging Final Four loss in 2025. Texas fell to South Carolina, while UCLA was thwarted by UConn. One of these slow-build titans gets a chance at the championship this time.
Texas reached the second round in 2023, the Elite Eight in 2024 and the Final Four last year. Vic Schaefer’s group keeps leveling up. The current Longhorns broke South Carolina’s hold on the SEC tournament, then mushed through their bracket region with four comfortable Ws.
Scoring machine and All-American Madison Booker tallied 40 points against Oregon in the round of 32. Playmaking point guard Rori Harmon flustered Kentucky with seven dimes and six steals in the Sweet 16. Steady team defense warped Michigan into nightmare Elite Eight shooting splits of 23/13 percent.
The Longhorns eschew long-range offense for inside looks and glass crashing. Their tempo is controlled, but opponent turnover rates soar. Texas notched 20 takeaways in the Nov. 26 win over UCLA. But the Bruins are undefeated since that Players Era Championship stumble. They’re feeling themselves right now, and they have the dance to prove it.
Cori Close is getting closer to a net-cutting. Her program went to the Sweet 16 in 2024, then improved to last year’s Final Four bid.
UCLA rolled past Cal Baptist, Oklahoma State and Minnesota in the first three rounds, but it had trouble with Duke in last Sunday’s regional final. After they fell behind in the first two quarters, the Bruins rallied to a strong second half — first-team All-American Lauren Betts finished with 23 points, 10 boards, three assists and five blocked shots.
Westwood’s warriors carry the top-rated offense into Phoenix. The 6-foot-7 Betts shreds on pick-and-roll sets. Kiki Rice and Gianna Kneepkens stretch space with on-ball range, while Gabriela Jaquez cuts around the outside for open jumpers. And Charlisse Leger-Walker patiently sets up the halfcourt flow.
The team’s top six scorers are all seniors. It’s now or never for UCLA.
National championships
Texas: 1. The Longhorns capped off a perfect season in 1985-86.
UCLA: 0. The Bruins are going for their inaugural NCAA title, but they won the AIAW championship in 1978.
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