The NCAA women’s basketball tournament has ended its second full weekend of play and we are ready to advance to the national semifinals. The field for the Final Four of 2021 is defined and loaded. Elite Eight featured a mix of favorites and newcomers competing for the weekend’s four spots, but it’s mostly favorites competing for the national title.
Here is a look at the four teams and how they achieved this prestigious place in the tournament.
Four final teams
UConn Huskies: No. 1 seed River Walk Region
The Huskies are heading for their 13th consecutive Final Four and the 21st overall, looking to win their 12th national title. UConn won No. 2 Baylor 69-67 in Elite Eight to advance. Prior to that, UConn won No. 5 Iowa 92-72 in Sweet 16, No. 8 Syracuse 83-47 in the second round and No. 1 High Point 102-59 in the first round.
Arizona Wildcats: No. 3 seed Market Region
The Wildcats are going to the Final Four for the first time in the program’s history. Arizona won Indiana No. 4 66-53 in the Elite Eight to advance and will face UConn in the national semifinals. Before Elite Eight, Arizona won No. 2 Texas A&M 74-59 on Sweet 16, No. 11 BYU 52-46 in the second round and No. 14 Stony Brook by 79-44 in the first round.
South Carolina Gamecocks: No. 1 seed from the Hemisfair region
The USC seeks its second national championship under Dawn Staley and will face Stanford in the national semifinals. The 26-4 Gamecocks have won every game in the tournament by at least 11 points, and with Zia Cooke and Aliyah Boston they will have an indoor-outdoor combination as good as any other in women’s college basketball.
Stanford Cardinal: No. 1 seed Alamo Region
The cardinal returned from a 14-point handicap to defeat No. 2 Louisville in Elite Eight and win a spot in the Final Four. Stanford will face South Carolina in the national semifinals. Prior to the Elite Eight, Stanford beat No. 5 Missouri State 89-62 in Sweet 16, No. 8 Oklahoma State 73-62 in the second round and No. 16 Utah Valley 87-44 in the first round.