The stage is set for a monumental showdown at the Women’s Final Four at Amelie Arena in Tampa on Friday, as two juggernauts — the No. 1 seed Texas Longhorns and No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks —prepare to face off in a battle for a spot in Sunday’s national championship game.
This highly-anticipated matchup is the fourth meeting between the two women’s college basketball powerhouses with the Gamecocks holding a 2-1 lead in the season series. Both teams have earned their spot with impressive performances all season long, and now, only one will advance to the national title game.
Texas: A well-rounded powerhouse
Texas has been known for its tenacious defense that fuels the offense, blending experienced upperclassmen with talented young stars and led by head coach Vic Schaefer, who has instilled a defensive-minded mentality and an unselfish team-oriented approach.
Standouts for the Longhorns include Rori Harmon, a point guard that can take control of the tempo, distribute, and defend with the best of them as a floor general and scoring threat. Madison Booker is a sharp-shooting sophomore forward capable of taking over games as a scorer.
The Longhorns are also supported by standout forward Taylor Jones, whose defense can create turnover opportunities for others during the transition when the Longhorns shift to offense. Texas’ defense, ranked among the best in the country, will have to be at its best to slow down South Carolina’s powerhouse offense, particularly in the paint.
Texas has been impressive both offensively and defensively, ranking in the top 20 in scoring offense and third nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. Their blend of tough defense and versatile scoring threats makes them a tough matchup for anyone, but South Carolina’s elite frontcourt will be their biggest challenge yet.
South Carolina: Dominant and unstoppable
South Carolina, led by the legendary Dawn Staley, has been one of the gold standards of women’s college basketball in recent years, making five straight Final Fours and seven out of the last 10. The Gamecocks enter this Final Four matchup as the defending national champions — one of three titles South Carolina has won under Staley — and are still the team to beat.
Anchored by one of the most formidable players in the nation, Sania Feagin, South Carolina boasts a frontcourt that can overwhelm any opponent. A dynamic 6’3 forward, Feagin is known for her rebounding, shot-blocking, and scoring ability in the paint.
The Gamecocks have depth in every position, including Te-Hina Paopao, a scoring guard who can change the course of a game with her speed and shooting, and Chloe Kitts, a versatile forward defender who can lock down anyone on the perimeter. South Carolina’s physicality, combined with their suffocating defense, makes them an incredibly tough team to break down.
What to expect in this Final Four showdown
This game will be a defensive showdown determined by which team can create second-chance opportunities and execute.
Texas will need to find a way to neutralize Kitt’s size and presence in the paint while exploiting opportunities in transition and avoiding a large disparity in made three-pointers.
For South Carolina, they’ll look to impose their will in the paint, using their superior size and athleticism to dominate the boards and limit Texas’ second-chance opportunities.
The key to the game could very well be how Texas’ guards handle South Carolina’s relentless defensive pressure and whether the Longhorns can effectively move the ball to create open shots. On the other hand, if the Gamecocks can control the tempo, limit turnovers, and force the Longhorns to play their game, they’ll be in a strong position to advance.
A few statistical categories have been telling for South Carolina this season — they are 31-0 when outscoring their opponents in the paint, their bench is the nation’s best at 40.6 points per game, and the Gamecocks are 28-1 when they win the rebounding battle.
When Texas beat South Carolina 66-62 at the Moody Center this season, they were able to dominate the paint, outscoring the Gamecocks 40-26 while notching a 13-6 edge in points off turnovers, and a 19-12 margin in second-chance points. Booker scored a game-high 20 points in that contest.
In the 19-point loss in the SEC Tournament, however, the Horns shot 29.6 percent from the floor, turned the ball over 18 times, and couldn’t find a foothold in the paint, losing that battle 40-18. South Carolina also had a more typical performance from the bench, outscoring Texas 30-4.
In the other regular-season matchup, the Gamecocks won by 17 points in Columbia.
Final Four thoughts
This Final Four matchup promises to be a thrilling encounter between two powerhouse programs, both looking to cement their legacies in women’s college basketball. Texas has the tools and grit to challenge South Carolina, but the Gamecocks’ blend of size, skill, and experience makes them a formidable opponent.
Schaefer is also looking for his postseason breakthrough against Staley — he’s winless in five SEC Tournament games against South Carolina and has lost both NCAA Tournament games he’s coached against the Gamecocks, including an Elite Eight loss in 2021 in his first season with the Horns. Schaefer does have some wins against Staley’s teams, but only four out of their 20 matchups.
Other big questions: whose defense is going to show up? And who can control the tempo? No matter who wins, fans are in for an unforgettable, electrifying game that going to shape the future of women’s basketball.
Don’t miss this exciting Final Four matchup — one team’s season will continue, while the other will have to watch as their championship dreams end.
Tip is at 6 p.m. Central on ESPN with BartTorvik.com giving South Carolina a 63-percent win probability.
