The Women’s Final Four field is set and the teams still alive will battle in Phoenix on Friday, April 3 for a spot in the 2026 national championship game. They are all the No. 1 seeds remaining in this year’s Women’s Final Four. The last time it happened was in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, when Notre Dame took home the trophy.
The first semifinal matchup is UConn against South Carolina, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. UCLA faces Texas in the second game, scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN.
The Gamecocks will look to avenge their national championship loss against UConn last season, when they fell to the Huskies 82-59 in Tampa, Florida.
This is the first time this season that South Carolina will face UConn, as the two programs have faced each other often during the regular season in the past.
When asked about the differences between last year’s national championship game and South Carolina’s upcoming semifinal matchup, fifth-year star defender Raven Johnson talked about how this team looks different and also got candid about her memories from last April.
“Honestly, I just remember them beating me by 20,” Johnson said. “We have new players. This is their first time experiencing the Final Four. I think Coach Staley and the other coaches are doing a good job keeping the main thing as the main thing and keeping us ready when the time comes.”
South Carolina will face not one, but two Player of the Year finalists: Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd.
“When you think about UConn, you think about the dynasty they have, you can’t even count on your hand how many championships they have,” Johnson said. “Inspirations like Diana Taursi, Sue Bird, Sarah Strong too – she’s also an inspiration at her young age and the things she’s doing.”
Fudd and Strong have combined for a total of 1,352 points this season. One of the biggest keys to South Carolina’s success on Friday night will be containing UConn’s stars. However, the Huskies remain a well-balanced team and have seen sparks from others throughout the NCAA tournament. Freshman forward Blanca Quiñonez, who has put up double-digit points in every game of the 2026 NCAA Tournament so far, has been a strong postseason player for the Huskies. A key for the Gamecocks will be how they can keep UConn’s stars and not let other players take over too much.
As Johnson noted, the Huskies will face a different team than they did a year ago. Fudd agreed with that sentiment Thursday in Arizona, stating that this time the situation is completely different.
“This South Carolina team has a lot of talent,” Fudd said. “They are playing very well individually, but also as a team.” In their transition game, they play with more confidence and more together. “It’s going to be a complicated game.”
A major difference for this South Carolina team is the addition of Ta’Niya Latson, a senior guard who transferred from Florida State last season.
“Latson is a very skilled guard and very difficult to guard,” Fudd said. “She does a little bit of everything, so she helps them spread the floor and makes things difficult for us on the defensive end, gives us more to worry about.”
Overall, South Carolina is a well-balanced team, with at least five players averaging double-digit points per game this season. The Gamecocks also have a size advantage against the Huskies and rebounding and foul trouble will be the biggest key for UConn to keep the game under control.
“Obviously this is a different South Carolina team than the one we played last year,” UConn head coach Geno Auriemma said. “Our two wins against them last year don’t really mean anything going into (Friday)… They’ve added some really key pieces. I think they’re a much better team than last year. It’s really hard to prepare for. They’ve shot the ball exceptionally well this year. They’ve added size that’s hard to match. Defensively we have our challenges with them.”
UConn ultimately leads the head-to-head series 11-5. However, South Carolina is still a team with depth and talent, which should make this matchup a must-watch.
Back in the Final Four for the second straight season, the Texas Longhorns are looking for a sweet finish this time after falling in the semifinals last year to SEC opponent South Carolina.
Texas and UCLA battled in November. In that game, the Longhorns defeated the Bruins 76-65 and were able to hold off UCLA star Lauren Betts.
Texas is on a 12-game winning streak since losing to Vanderbilt in conference play on Feb. 12. Led by junior stars Madison Booker and fifth-year senior Rori Harmon, Texas stated at Thursday’s media day that scout preparation is key to their success in the semifinals. Like every team that has to face UCLA, the focus is on how to contain the Bruins’ main weapon, Betts.
“We talked about defending 30 feet from the rim, playing team defense, not necessarily letting our five players defend it alone,” Harmon said.
The Longhorns will rely on center Kyla Oldacre and forward Breya Cunningham to disrupt Betts, who is averaging 17.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and two blocks per game. In addition to defensive success, Texas will also have to stay out of foul trouble.
“It’s not just Lauren Betts, they have a great team overall and that’s what makes them dangerous and that’s why they’re here and they’re the No. 1 seed. For them to not be successful we have to put pressure on (their guards),” Harmon said. “They’re the best team in offensive efficiency and I’d say we’re pretty good defensively, so we really need to put pressure on that offense.”
On Thursday, Harmon and other teammates explained how the team has changed its mindset this season compared to last to better prepare for when the lights are brighter.
“There’s nothing in March that you can really do to win games other than make sure your team is poised, high energy and that you’re really hot, and that’s the only thing I really learned last year,” said Booker, the Longhorns’ leading scorer this season. “Hopefully this year we’re still hot and energetic, but I think we are,” Booker said with a laugh.
The Bruins, along with opponent Texas, know what it’s like to almost get a taste of a national championship game, as UCLA fell to eventual champion UConn last year in Tampa, 85-51.
“I think what we learned last year has been a motivating factor throughout this year in the sense that we’ve taken what we learned last year and applied it to this year,” senior guard Gabriela Jaquez said. “Being here and having the experience is going to help us… It feels different, I feel calmer and I’m more prepared for what’s to come.”
As Texas will have its eyes on Betts, the center will look for a stronger performance this time against the Longhorns. The senior was held to just eight points and seven rebounds during their regular season meeting.
“I think the biggest difference, looking back on film, is just creating opportunities to get the ball as much as I can,” Betts said. “I think just creating easier catches. [Texas] It’s a really amazing defensive team. I think the guards are getting pressured on the perimeter, trying to get so open that they don’t like not giving me the ball. I think trying to help my teammates as much as I can. “It’s not one person against Texas, it’s a whole team.”
Without a doubt, the level of competition, talent and play should be very high on Friday night in Arizona. As the sport continues to grow and increase ratings and revenue, this 2026 Final Four could be historic and memorable for many reasons.