The Ladies’s Closing 4 discipline is ready and the groups nonetheless alive will battle in Phoenix on Friday, April 3 for a spot within the 2026 nationwide championship sport. It’s all No. 1 seeds left on this yr’s girls’s Closing 4. The final time that occurred was again within the 2018 NCAA match when Notre Dame took dwelling the trophy.
The primary semifinal matchup is UConn vs. South Carolina, with tip off set for 7 p.m. ET. UCLA takes on Texas within the second sport, set for 9:30 p.m. ET. Each video games will air on ESPN.
The Gamecocks will likely be trying to avenge their nationwide championship loss towards UConn final season, once they fell to the Huskies 82-59 in Tampa, Florida.
That is the primary time this season South Carolina will face UConn, as the 2 packages have usually met throughout the common season up to now.
When requested in regards to the variations between final yr’s nationwide championship sport and South Carolina’s upcoming semifinals matchup, fifth yr senior and star defender Raven Johnson spoke about how this staff seems to be totally different and was additionally candid about her reminiscences from final April.
“I simply keep in mind getting beat by 20, truthfully,” Johnson stated. “We obtained new gamers. That is their first time experiencing the Closing 4. I believe Coach Staley, and the opposite coaches, are doing a superb job of protecting the primary factor the primary factor and protecting us prepared when the second is right here.”
South Carolina will likely be going through not one, however two Participant of the 12 months finalists in Sarah Sturdy and Azzi Fudd.
“Whenever you consider UConn you concentrate on the dynasty they’ve, you may’t even depend in your hand what number of championships they’ve,” Johnson stated. “Inspirations like Diana Taursi, Sue Fowl, Sarah Sturdy too, she’s an inspiration too at her younger age and the issues she’s doing.”
Fudd and Sturdy have mixed for a complete of 1,352 factors this season. One of many important keys for South Carolina’s success on Friday night time will likely be containing UConn’s stars. Nonetheless, the Huskies do stay a nicely balanced staff and have seen sparks from others all through the NCAA match. Freshman ahead Blanca Quiñonez, who has put up double digit factors in every 2026 NCAA match sport thus far, has been a fantastic postseason participant for the Huskies. A key for the Gamecocks will likely be how they’ll keep UConn’s stars and never let different position gamers take over an excessive amount of.
As Johnson identified, the Huskies will likely be going through a distinct staff then they did a yr in the past. Fudd agreed with that sentiment on Thursday in Arizona, stating how it’s a utterly totally different state of affairs this time round.
“This South Carolina staff is admittedly proficient, Fudd stated. “They’re enjoying very well individually, but in addition as a staff. Their transition sport, they’re enjoying extra assured and extra collectively. It’s going to be a tricky sport.”
One important distinction for this South Carolina staff is the addition of Ta’Niya Latson, a senior guard who transferred from Florida State final season.
“Latson is a very expert guard and actually exhausting to protect,” Fudd stated. “She does a bit little bit of every thing, so she helps unfold the ground for them and makes issues tough for us on the defensive finish, she offers us extra to fret about.”
General, South Carolina is a well-balanced staff, with at the very least 5 gamers averaging double digits factors per sport this season. The Gamecocks even have a bonus in measurement towards the Huskies and rebounds and foul hassle will likely be a important key for UConn to maintain the sport in management.
“Clearly this can be a totally different South Carolina staff than the one we performed final yr,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma stated. “Our two wins towards them final yr don’t actually imply something going into (Friday)…They’ve added some actually key items. I believe they’re a a lot better staff than they had been final yr. Actually exhausting to arrange for. They’ve shot the ball exceptionally nicely this yr. They’ve added the scale that’s exhausting to match up with. Defensively we’ve got our challenges with them.”
UConn in the end leads the head-to-head collection 11-5. Nonetheless, South Carolina is equally a staff with depth and expertise too, which ought to make this matchup a must-watch.
Again within the Closing 4 once more for the second consecutive season, the Texas Longhorns are searching for a candy ending this time round after falling within the semifinals final yr to SEC opponent South Carolina.
Texas and UCLA battled again in November. In that sport, the Longhorns defeated the Bruins 76-65 and had been capable of management UCLA star Lauren Betts.
Texas is on a 12 sport win-streak since falling to Vanderbilt in convention play again on Feb. 12. Led by stars junior Madison Booker and fifth-year senior Rori Harmon, Texas acknowledged at Thursday’s media day that scout preparation is essential to its success within the semifinals. Like each staff that has to tackle UCLA, there’s give attention to tips on how to include the Bruins’ important weapon Betts.
“We discuss guarding 30 toes out from the rim, enjoying staff protection, not essentially simply leaving it as much as our 5 gamers to protect her alone,” Harmon stated.
The Longhorns will lean on heart Kyla Oldacre and ahead Breya Cunningham to be disruptive to Betts, who’s averaging 17.2 factors, 8.6 rebounds and two blocks per sport. Together with defensive success, Texas should keep out of foul hassle as nicely.
“It’s not simply Lauren Betts, they’ve a fantastic total staff and that’s what makes them harmful and that’s why they’re right here and a 1-seed. To make them unsuccessful we’ve got to place stress on (their guards),” Harmon stated. “They’re the most effective staff on offensive effectivity and I might say we’re fairly good defensively, so we actually must put stress on that offense.”
On Thursday, Harmon and different teammates defined how the squad has shifted its mentality this season in comparison with final to raised put together for when the lights are the brightest.
“There’s nothing in March you may actually do to win video games moreover ensuring your staff is collected, high-energy and ensuring you might be truly sizzling, and that’s the one factor I actually took away from final yr,” Booker, the Longhorns’ scoring chief this season, stated. “Hopefully this yr we’re nonetheless sizzling and high-energy, however I believe we’re,” Booker stated laughing.
The Bruins, together with their opponent Texas, know what it’s wish to virtually style a nationwide championship sport, as UCLA fell to the eventual champion UConn final yr in Tampa, 85-51.
“I believe what we realized final yr has been a motivating issue this complete yr within the sense that we’ve got taken what we realized final yr and utilized it to this yr,” senior guard Gabriela Jaquez stated. “Being right here and having the expertise goes to assist us…It does really feel totally different, I really feel extra calm and I’m extra ready for what’s to return.”
As Texas could have its eyes on Betts, the middle will likely be searching for a stronger efficiency this time round towards the Longhorns. The senior was held to only eight factors and 7 rebounds throughout their common season assembly.
“I believe the largest distinction wanting again on the movie is simply creating alternatives to get the ball as a lot as I can,” Betts stated. “I believe simply creating simpler catches. [Texas] is a very wonderful defensive staff. I believe because the guards are getting pressured on the perimeter, simply attempting to grow to be so open that they simply can’t like not give me the ball. I believe attempting to assist out my teammates as a lot as I can. It’s not one particular person versus Texas, it’s a full staff.”
Undoubtedly, the extent of competitors, expertise and play must be very excessive come Friday night in Arizona. As the game continues to develop, sees elevated scores and income, this 2026 Closing 4 could possibly be historic and memorable for a lot of causes.
