The final weekend of the NCAA Tournament is almost upon us, but first: the Elite Eight. Four phenomenal matchups await Monday as each team vies to punch its ticket to Tampa for the Final Four.
No. 1 seed UCLA and No. 3 seed LSU face off in a rematch of last season’s Sweet 16. Two of the most prolific players in the paint this season (Lauren Betts and Aneesah Morrow) will clash. Tremendous guards fill the backcourts for each team, made more notable by LSU star Flau’jae Johnson being cleared to play after sustaining an eye injury in the Sweet 16.
In another rematch, this time from a nonconference game earlier this season, No. 1 seed South Carolina and No. 2 seed Duke meet again. Will the Gamecocks roll to a fifth straight Final Four, or can the Blue Devils return for the first time in nearly two decades?
Then, a Lone Star showdown as No. 1 seed Texas and No. 2 seed TCU will battle it out. The teams play different styles; the Horned Frogs took 25.3 3-point attempts this season (26th in the nation) compared to 10.7 per game from the Longhorns (358th in the nation). Texas finished in the top 10 nationally in free throw attempts and offensive rebounding, but TCU sits in the bottom third of both statistics. This is one of the most intriguing matchups of the NCAA Tournament.
No. 1 seed USC and No. 2 seed UConn, who played perhaps the best game of the season in December, will also rematch, but both teams are looking quite different in March. The Trojans gritted out a gutsy Sweet 16 win over Kansas State after losing star guard JuJu Watkins to a knee injury in the second round. The Huskies are fresh off a blowout of Oklahoma and a record-breaking performance from star guard Paige Bueckers.
How do these teams stack up ahead of the Elite Eight?
UCLA Bruins
The way the Bruins can adapt to the moment sets them apart. That shone brightly in the third quarters during the second round and Sweet 16, as they outscored Richmond and Ole Miss 54-22 combined in the third frames. Lauren Betts is the undeniable engine that drives UCLA, the foundation of an elite defense, and a dominant post presence at 6-7. The ability of her teammates to shift and respond around her to opposing game plans has the Trojans playing elite basketball. They can find their groove hitting open shots, shifting the game by forcing turnovers and bullying on the glass. The Bruins have the tools and confidence to win it all.
Connecticut Huskies
Behind a UConn March Madness scoring record from star Paige Bueckers, the Huskies rolled into the Elite Eight. When they click offensively, it’s hard to find a team that’s tougher to guard, as every set piece has a plethora of moving parts and options within it. Opponents can’t take a second off in a possession against the Huskies. Despite being a smaller team, UConn plays with force on defense, dictating with timing and pressure. Teams with length and switching were able to muck up UConn’s offense during nonconference play, so that will be something to track moving forward. The Huskies have a legitimate shot at returning to the Final Four and winning a national championship.
South Carolina Gamecocks
After a thrilling back-and-forth Sweet 16 victory against Maryland, the Gamecocks will appear in their fifth straight Elite Eight. For anyone questioning whether South Carolina has a go-to player, look no further than MiLaysia Fulwiley’s performance. Her ability to create an easy look at the rim in a mucky game looms large as the Gamecocks go deeper into March. South Carolina didn’t play its typical level of assertive defense, something it’ll need against Duke. Yet, it stands out that South Carolina still found a way to survive and advance despite the absence of their ...
