It’s here! The Final Four tips off on Friday night. First, the NC State Wolfpack challenge the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). Then, the UConn Huskies take on the Iowa Hawkeyes (9 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The Final Four fun begins Friday night!
First, No. 3-seed NC State looks to continue their journey from unranked to on top, taking on No. 1-seed South Carolina, on the verge of completing a perfect season with a national title (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). Then, No. 3-seed UConn, depleted but undaunted, meet No. 1-seed Iowa, aiming for the national championship that eluded them last year (9 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The women’s Final Four is set
Who you got taking it all the way? pic.twitter.com/9dxI9RTV0A
— espnW (@espnW) April 2, 2024
No. 3-seed NC State vs. No. 1-seed South Carolina (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Five players who will take the court in Friday night’s first Final Four game were members of the 2022 national champion Gamecocks: Kamilla Cardoso, Bree Hall, Sania Feagin, Raven Johnson and Saniya Rivers.
While Cardoso, Hall, Feagin and Johnson still suit up for South Carolina, Rivers decided to take her talents to NC State, transferring to her home-state school after averaging 13 minutes and less than three points per game as a Gamecock freshman. Since then, she’s blossomed into a star, earning All-ACC honors this season as she posted 12.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game. She also provided one of the signature performances of this wild and wonderful women’s college basketball season, when she and the then-unranked Wolfpack fired a season-opening salvo by taking down then-No. 2 UConn. Rivers dropped a career-high 33 points on the Huskies.
Can she and the Wolfpack close out the season in similarly spectacular fashion, finishing off their rise from an unranked team to a national title contender by spoiling an undefeated season? Rivers professes no ill will towards South Carolina and head coach Dawn Staley, just a will to win.
“There’s no beef, I told Coach Staley that I was going to see her again when I left & here we are”
Saniya Rivers told me that she still has great relationships with Dawn Staley and her former teammates & she is excited to face the Gamecocks in the Final Four@WLTX | #Gamecocks pic.twitter.com/sJ8sKs2CFw
— Chandler Mack (@chandlerdmack) April 4, 2024
Rivers and the Wolfpack match up well with the Gamecocks. On the perimeter, she, Aziaha James, Madison Hayes and Zoe Brooks bring three-level scoring capabilities and defensive chops, while River Baldwin provides solid, two-way play in the paint and Mimi Collins offers versatility as a stretch big. But, as has been the case throughout the season and tournament, South Carolina’s depth is their superpower. Can NC State’s core of six keep up with South Carolina’s top nine?
If the Wolfpack can get Cardoso in foul trouble, here comes Feagin or Chloe Kitts. If the 3-ball is not falling for Te-Hina Paopao, watch MiLaysia Fulwiley or Tessa Johnson drain a torrent of treys. If Rivers or James beat Hall or Johnson off the dribble, Ashlyn SWATkins awaits in the lane. And on and on. Any edge an opponent can gain on the Gamecocks is momentary, soon to be snuffed out by South Carolina’s surfeit of skill and superior execution.
Got it done pic.twitter.com/EVGME2CBtH
— South Carolina Women’s Basketball (@GamecockWBB) April 4, 2024
While the Wolfpack can keep it close, expect the Gamecocks to get one step closer to redemption.
No. 3-seed UConn vs. No. 1-seed Iowa (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
We all know the story by now: UConn did not recruit Caitlin Clark. The Iowa star recently shared, “I loved UConn. I think they’re the coolest place on earth, and I wanted to say I got recruited by them. They called my AAU coach a few times, but they never talked to my family and never talked to me.”
The expectation is that Clark will exact revenge on Friday night by way of stepback triples and precision passes. Monday night, quite possibly, was just a preview of what she has in store for the Huskies.
This is getting kinda nuts, Caitlin Clark
Good god
LSU is not playing well defensively to be fair, but some of these are just, sheesh pic.twitter.com/4fxJwlFcvV
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) April 2, 2024
Whether or not head coach Geno Auriemma erred by not recruiting Clark, he and his staff will not commit any such foibles when devising a defensive plan to slow her and the high-flying Hawkeye attack. No, Clark cannot be shutdown. But the Huskies, even though they are thinned out by an epidemic of season-ending injuries, will execute the defensive designs with discipline and attention to detail, stalling out the moments of momentum that Clark is sure to generate. Nika Mühl eagerly will assume the challenge of defending Clark, with Paige Bueckers likely taking some possession on her as well, thus giving fans the theater of one-on-one battles between the two superstars.
While avoiding foul trouble for Mühl and Aaliyah Edwards will be of utmost importance, UConn also can use their own offense to slow Iowa’s. Rather than try to match the Hawkeyes’ pace, the Huskies should slow things down, forcing Iowa to defend full possessions in the half court. With the ball in Bueckers hands, UConn methodically can create good shots, whether through Bueckers’ own midrange mastery, Edwards’ face-up post game or kick-out 3s for Ashlynn Shade.
Aaliyah Edwards with the reverse! pic.twitter.com/c06nBc90gM
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) April 2, 2024
While Iowa still will try to push off UConn makes, expect the Huskies to be prepared to prevent Clark from firing hit-ahead passes to a streaking Hannah Stuelke. Forcing Iowa to operate in the half court on offense also will place a heavier burden on Clark, requiring her to work hard to create shots for herself or teammates, especially with the Hawkeyes’ best secondary ball handler, Molly Davis, not expected to return from the knee injury that has sidelined her throughout the tournament.
Yes, UConn will be exhausted when the buzzer sounds, but the Huskies have enough to keep Clark from getting revenge and the Hawkeyes from advancing.
Game information
No. 3-seed NC State (31-6) vs. No. 1-seed South Carolina (36-0)
When: Friday, April 5 at 7 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH
How to watch: ESPN
No. 3-seed UConn (33-5) vs. No. 1-seed Iowa (33-4)
When: Friday, April 5 at 9 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH
How to watch: ESPN
Commercials Cooperation Advertisements:
(1) IT Teacher IT Freelance
立刻註冊及報名電腦補習課程吧!
电子计算机 -教育 -IT 電腦班” ( IT電腦補習 ) 提供一個方便的电子计算机 教育平台, 為大家配對信息技术, 電腦 老師, IT freelance 和 programming expert. 讓大家方便地就能找到合適的電腦補習, 電腦班, 家教, 私人老師.
We are a education and information platform which you can find a IT private tutorial teacher or freelance.
Also we provide different information about information technology, Computer, programming, mobile, Android, apple, game, movie, anime, animation…
(2) ITSec
www.ITSeceu.uk
Secure Your Computers from Cyber Threats and mitigate risks with professional services to defend Hackers.
ITSec provide IT Security and Compliance Services, including IT Compliance Services, Risk Assessment, IT Audit, Security Assessment and Audit, ISO 27001 Consulting and Certification, GDPR Compliance Services, Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), Penetration test, Ethical Hacking, Vulnerabilities scan, IT Consulting, Data Privacy Consulting, Data Protection Services, Information Security Consulting, Cyber Security Consulting, Network Security Audit, Security Awareness Training.
Contact us right away.
Email (Prefer using email to contact us):
SalesExecutive@ITSec.vip