PHOENIX — The first game of the Final Four will be a rematch of last year’s national championship. A battle between two of the sport’s elite programs, South Carolina and UConn.
But it will also be the next chapter in the Joyce Edwards versus Sarah Strong “rivalry.” The post players are not only two of the best sophomores in the country — Strong was the top player in the 2024 class, and Edwards was No. 3, according to ESPN — but they also grew up playing against each other.
Strong played high school basketball at Grace Christian Sanford in North Carolina, and Edwards played at Camden High School in South Carolina. Their proximity first brought them together at a middle school camp and continued into the AAU and prep circuits.
“She’s a really good player, definitely tough to guard,” Strong said. “We were making each other better so I was happy.”
Friday’s game will be their third matchup in college. UConn won the first two meetings, both last season, including last year’s championship game, when Strong had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Edwards had 10 points and five rebounds. Edwards described their matchups as “iron sharpening iron.”
“I feel like we will look back on this in the future, maybe 20 or 30 years from now and think about how crazy, if you want to call it a rivalry or whatever, it’s going to be a good opportunity to showcase both of our skill sets,” Edwards said.
While Strong and Edwards will take the spotlight on Friday, a host of players from the 2024 class have been shining on the big stage.
Texas has two sophomores in Jordan Lee and Justice Charton, two top-15 players in the class. UCLA is an old team, without a major impact player from that class, but there have been plenty of other elite players on contending teams to come from that class. The nation’s leading scorer, Mikayla Blakes, is a sophomore, as is All-American Jaloni Cambridge at Ohio State. But some teams have been led by sophomores, like Michigan, which reached the Elite Eight on the back of four sophomores, including two top-20 players in Syla Swords and Olivia Olson.
Overall, it’s a class that makes Edwards smile with pride and will eventually have WNBA scouts excited.
“It’s great,” Edwards said. “It means we came in, made an impact and did what we are supposed to do. I know our class has great players and I’m just so proud of us as a whole to help elevate women’s basketball.”
On Friday, the two sophomores from the Carolinas will look to lead their team to a national championship game. Here are two others from each team to watch in Friday’s semifinals.
UConn
Blanca Quiñonez, freshman, forward
UConn’s third scorer, Quiñonez has had a strong NCAA Tournament, averaging 17 points in the Huskies’ four wins. The 6-foot-2 freshman is one of the most versatile players in the Final Four because she can score inside and out, shooting 54 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3-point range in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. Though she doesn’t start, she provides UConn with an impactful scoring option off the bench, especially as defenses focus on Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong.
Azzi Fudd, senior, guard
Arguably the best pure shooter in the tournament, Fudd was an All-America selection by The Athletic and is coming off the worst two-game shooting stretch of her season. She shot just 37 percent from the field in the regional in Fort Worth, Texas, but on average she is a 46 percent shooter and makes 44 percent from 3-point range. She is a three-level scorer who UConn uses frequently off screens. When Fudd is scoring efficiently, the Huskies are hard to beat, especially with Strong as a dominant force inside.
South Carolina
Madina Okot, senior, center
Okot is one of the most intriguing players in the Final Four because she’s so talented. Her 22 double-doubles are tied for the most among Power 4 conference players, but she’s also played college basketball for only two years. She’s averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds, while leading South Carolina with 55 blocks. Edwards is the best post player on the roster, but Okot is going to play a big part against UConn, especially if the Gamecocks hope to take advantage of their size.
Ta’Niya Latson, senior, guard
Latson, who was last season’s leading scorer nationally, took a step back in her scoring this year, averaging just more than 14 points per game. But she has also been a key contributor for the Gamecocks in their national championship quest. She works well off Edwards and gives South Carolina a consistent scorer on the outside, as well as a playmaker; she’s second in assists for South Carolina.
UCLA’s Gianna Kneepkens drives against Texas’ Rori Harmon in the Players Era Championship. They’ll meet again on Friday. (Ian Maule / Getty Images)
Texas
Jordan Lee, sophomore, guard
Lee is another member of the stellar 2024 class. Madison Booker is the Longhorns’ leading scorer and their best player, but Lee does a lot for them. She’s a strong perimeter defender, both in the half-court and in the full-court press, but she’s also Texas’ best shooter from deep. She struggled in the Fort Worth regional, shooting just 1-of-11 from 3-point range in two games and just 18 percent from the field in the Elite Eight, but on average, she is a 34 percent 3-point shooter. Texas is the worst 3-point shooting team in the Final Four and takes the fewest, averaging just 12.6 3-point attempts per game. Lee has the chance to be the game-changer for Texas if she can get hot from deep, while also bringing a defensive upside.
Rori Harmon, senior, guard
As good as Booker is, Texas goes as Harmon goes. The 5-6 point guard is the head of the Texas press and runs everything for coach Vic Schaefer on offense. Texas is currently on a 12-game winning streak, and in those games, Harmon is averaging 7.5 points and six assists. She was terrific in the Fort Worth regional, scoring 11 points to go with seven rebounds, seven assists and six steals against Kentucky, and she added seven points and 13 assists in a blowout win over Michigan, while also holding Swords to just eight points on 3-of-15 shooting.
UCLA
Lauren Betts, senior, center
The Big Ten Player of the Year has been the program-building piece for coach Cori Close. Her 6-7 frame immediately stands out, and she adds 8.6 rebounds with two blocks per game because of her size, but her defensive versatility has taken a major step. The Bruins have evolved her into a player who can switch onto guards after a screen, instead of being a stationary shot-blocker in the post.
Gianna Kneepkens, graduate student, guard
In a game where UCLA’s opponents attempt the fewest 3-point shots, Kneepkens takes the most on a good 3-point shooting team. The Utah transfer has taken 191 3-pointers this season and made 42 percent of her attempts. She’s the best shooter on UCLA and will likely be near the top of Texas’ scouting report, but if she can get space to shoot, the Bruins could have a chance to avenge their 76-65 loss on Nov. 26 — their only loss of the season.
