Women's College Basketball

The No. 3 Arizona Wildcats pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year, defeating No. 1 UConn and Paige Bueckers, 69-59, in the Final Four. 

UConn (28-2) picks up just its second loss of the season, having gone undefeated since a three-point defeat to No. 19 Arkansas in late January. The program was looking to win a national championship for the first time since 2016.

Now it's the Wildcats moving on to the title game for the first time in program history after making its Final Four debut on Friday. 

Aari McDonald dominated from start to finish to hand UConn its fourth straight loss in the Final Four and keep the title drought alive in Connecticut going for at least another year.

Arizona now faces No. 1 Stanford on Sunday night for the championship.

Notable Performers

Aari McDonald, G, Arizona Wildcats: 26 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals

Trinity Baptiste, F, Arizona Wildcats: 7 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block

Paige Bueckers, G, UConn Huskies: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists 

Christyn Williams, G, UConn Huskies: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals 

Aari Goes Off on Huskies

UConn freshman Paige Bueckers was unquestionably the most hyped player heading into the Final Four. Arizona's Aari McDonald made sure the Huskies guard didn't live up to it. In fact, McDonald supplanted Bueckers early on as the player to watch.

The senior guard was absolutely electric. 

McDonald went off for 15 points in the first half with four three-pointers as the Wildcats had the Huskies on their heels early on. UConn never led at any point on Friday. McDonald was a large reason why.

Even when UConn found a way to slow her down in the third quarter, there was little the Huskies could do to keep her off the scoresheet. After posting just two points in the third, McDonald came right back with nine more in the fourth quarter to help close out a win against a flailing Huskies team. 

It wasn't just that the Wildcats weren't supposed to be in this position—building a 14-point lead in the first half after entering the game as 14-point underdogs, per ESPN—it's that UConn is almost never in this position. Head coach Geno Auriemma's clubs are known for their discipline and defense but neither paid off on Friday. 

As McDonald delivered dagger after dagger, all the Huskies could do was intentionally foul and try to extend the game. It didn't work. 

Arizona's incredible run continues and the Huskies head home without a title after a magnificent season once again.

Bueckers, Huskies Bounced Again

It might not be long before UConn is hoisting another national title trophy again, but it'll at least be another year.

A program built by Auriemma that once had pundits questioning if any college team could compete with them has seen its armor significantly damaged. Auriemma is established enough that it's not worth questioning if UConn will be back. It's more a matter of when.

With Bueckers in the program, the answer is more than likely soon. 

The Minnesota native became just the fifth freshman in women's basketball history to notch at least 100 points in an NCAA tournament, according to ESPN, joining Tamika Catchings, Cheryl Miller, Breanna Stewart and Clarissa Davis. This is only the start of what's likely to become an epic career.

But it was a rather forgetful night for the Huskies overall. 

UConn shot just 35.7 percent from the field and struggled mightily getting to the rim. With 3:22 left to play, the Huskies made just four of their 19 layup attempts and made five three-pointers on the night total. That wasn't going to cut it against an Arizona club carrying all the momentum. 

The Huskies couldn't shoot themselves back into the game late and Arizona wasn't going to be baited into mistakes. 

What's Next

The NCAA women's tournament crowns its champion on Sunday night when Arizona and Stanford meet in San Antonio at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN. 

A heartbreaking finish capped Stanford's 66-65 win over South Carolina in the Final Four of the NCAA Division I women's college basketball tournament on Friday in San Antonio.

South Carolina forward Aliyah Boston stole the ball from Stanford forward Cameron Brink with the Cardinal up one and seven seconds remaining.

The ball found its way to South Carolina guard Brea Beal, who missed a running layup with a couple seconds left.

Boston then flew in for the rebound and got a game-winning shot attempt before the buzzer, but the ball bounced off the back rim and onto the floor.

Before the sequence, South Carolina guard Destanni Henderson went on a personal 6-0 run to turn a 64-59 deficit into a 65-64 lead. Stanford guard Haley Jones (24 points on 11-of-14 shooting) responded by grabbing an offensive rebound and nailing a baseline jumper with 32 seconds left for the 66-65 edge.

Stanford got a stop on the other end, forcing South Carolina to play the foul game in hopes of putting the Cardinal on the line, but Boston got the steal instead, leading to the end.

South Carolina isn't getting as far as it did without Boston, who was named one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award, given to the best women's and men's collegiate basketball players.

The sophomore entered Friday averaging 13.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game for a 26-win South Carolina team. Boston was also phenomenal again in the Final Four, posting 11 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks.

And obviously, South Carolina would have had a much harder time putting itself in position for the win if not for Boston's game-ending defense.

As for Beal, the sophomore has been excellent on the boards, averaging 7.4 for the tournament. She also led South Carolina with three steals on Friday.

After the game, Las Vegas Aces star, WNBA MVP and ex-South Carolina standout A'ja Wilson tweeted the following:

As for Stanford, the Cardinal will advance to the national championship to face Arizona.

Baylor Lady Bears guards DiDi Richards and DiJonai Carrington announced Thursday they decided to declare for the 2021 WNBA draft.

Richards posted a statement on Instagram saying she's ready to pursue her "lifelong dream," while Carrington explained her decision on Twitter:

Both players were seniors during the 2020-21 college basketball season, but the NCAA offered an additional year of eligibility to all student-athletes because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Baylor reached the Elite Eight of the 2021 NCAA women's tournament and pushed UConn, the top seed in the River Walk Region, to the limit before falling 69-67. Replays showed Carrington was likely fouled as she attempted to tie the game in the final seconds, but no call was made.

"Personally, don't see it as a controversial call," Carrington told reporters after the game Monday night. "I've already seen the replay. One girl fouled me in my face, and one girl fouled me on my arm. At that point, you can't do anything else."

NBA superstar LeBron James agreed:

The Lady Bears finished the season 28-3. They were the defending champions after winning the 2019 event since last year's March Madness was canceled because of the pandemic.

Carrington averaged 14.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals across 27 appearances. She also led the team with 39 made three-pointers.

Richards averaged 6.3 points, 6.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 30 games. Her 189 assists ranked second in the nation behind only Iowa's Caitlin Clark's 213.

ESPN's Mechelle Voepel listed both Baylor guards as second-round picks in her latest mock draft.

The draft is scheduled for April 15 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The first women's Final Four for freshman sensation Paige Bueckers begins against a program making its first foray into this stage of the NCAA tournament. 

Bueckers and the UConn Huskies will attempt to get back to the national championship game for the first time since 2016 against the Arizona Wildcats. 

Arizona and the Stanford Cardinal extended the Pac-12's tremendous postseason in college basketball by making up half of the women's Final Four. 

Stanford relied on its scoring depth to advance to Friday's national semifinals, and it will need the same well-rounded approach to get past the South Carolina Gamecocks. 

South Carolina has shut down the offenses of its four NCAA tournament foes, and if it imposes its defensive will on the Cardinal, it will earn the opportunity to play for its second title in five years. 

Women's Final Four Schedule

Friday, April 2

No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 1 South Carolina (6 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 1 UConn vs. No. 3 Arizona (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

National Championship Prediction

UConn vs. South Carolina

UConn enters its showdown with Arizona as the better team, but it will face a difficult task in defending Aari McDonald. 

Arizona's senior guard will get a chance to slow down Bueckers, who has lived up to an immense amount of hype in her first season at UConn.

According to ESPN.com's Charlie Creme, Bueckers is aiming to be the sixth man or woman to lead a national champion in scoring as a freshman. Jahlil Okafor was the last player to achieve that feat in 2015 for Duke. Chamique Holdsclaw was the last woman to do that in 1996 for Tennessee. 

Bueckers has 46 points in the last two games, including a 28-point outburst against the Baylor Bears that secured UConn's spot in the Final Four. 

The star freshman already won one head-to-head showdown with a top guard in the country, as she led UConn past Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Sweet 16. Bueckers had 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists compared to Clark's 21 points, five assists and three rebounds. 

McDonald will be a more explosive threat to the UConn defense, as she is coming off back-to-back 30-point performances. 

If UConn contains the 5'6" guard during some stretches, it should pull away with the win since Arizona's supporting cast has not filled up the scoring column. McDonald had one teammate reach double figures in the victories over the Texas A&M Aggies and Indiana Hoosiers. 

UConn had Bueckers, Christyn Williams and Evina Westbrook score over 10 points against Baylor, and if its scoring depth is on display again on Friday, it should get past the Wildcats. 

Stanford's calling card over the last four games has been its deep offense. It has produced over 70 points in all four NCAA tournament games and had four players reach double digits in its last two games. 

The Cardinal's offensive mettle will be tested by a South Carolina defense that has held all of its foes to 65 points or fewer and conceded under 55 points to three of them. The Gamecocks were so effective on defense in the Elite Eight that they held the Texas Longhorns without a fourth-quarter point. 

Dawn Staley's team is following a similar blueprint to when it took the 2017 title. During that run, the Gamecocks did not allow an opponent over 70 points and held Stanford to 53 points in the Final Four. 

If Stanford forces South Carolina into a high-scoring affair, the Gamecocks are equipped to match that production. They had five players score over 10 points against Texas and a quintet with nine points or more in the Sweet 16 win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. 

If South Carolina prevails through its defense, it likely will get a shot at shutting down Bueckers with a title on the line. 

UConn is looking for its first title since 2016, and it is trying to remain the only women's program to win a championship in San Antonio. The Huskies cut down the nets in 2002 and 2010 inside the Alamodome.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from NCAA.com.

Stanford's Tara VanDerveer has been named the Naismith Women's Coach of the Year for the third time in her storied career.

The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced VanDerveer as the winner of the award Friday. She beat out fellow finalists Gary Blair of Texas A&M, Wes Moore of North Carolina State and Joni Taylor of Georgia.

VanDerveer said in a statement:

"It is a tremendous honor to be named the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year. I'm very grateful and humbled. I want to thank Stanford University, my athletic director, my assistant coaches and especially, my players. Our team has had a great season, and this award is a reflection of those players, how hard they've worked and how hard they've played."

The Cardinal are chasing the third national title in program history after winning the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament titles. VanDerveer has led them to a 29-2 record and the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA women's tournament.

VanDerveer previously earned the Naismith Women's Coach of the Year honor in 1989-90 and 2010-11. She joins Mike Krzyzewski, John Calipari, Pat Summitt, Geno Auriemma and Muffet McGraw as the only coaches in men's and women's basketball to win the award at least three times.

In her 35th season with the Cardinal after stints at Idaho (1978-80) and Ohio State (1980-85), VanDerveer has put together one of the most impressive resumes of any coach in any sport.

She is the winningest coach in women's college basketball history with 1,123 career victories. She has won two national titles and made 13 Final Four appearances, won an Olympic gold medal as head coach of the U.S. women's team in 1996 and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.

VanDerveer and Stanford are two wins away from capturing the national championship. The Cardinal take on South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday at 6 p.m. ET

Only four teams remain in this year's NCAA women's basketball tournament. And come Friday night, it will be known which two of those schools will be battling it out for the national championship Sunday.

The pair of Final Four matchups will take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Friday. In the first national semifinal, a pair of No. 1 seeds will go head-to-head as Stanford takes on South Carolina. Then No. 1-seeded UConn will look to fend off No. 3-seeded Arizona, which had never made it this deep into the tournament before.

Stanford is the No. 1 overall seed in the tourney and UConn is making its 13th consecutive Final Four appearance, so those two schools will be the favorites to advance. But anything can happen once teams reach this point in the tournament.

Here's everything else you need to know heading into Friday's Final Four matchups.

Final Four Schedule, Odds

Friday, April 2

No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 1 Stanford (-5.5), 6 p.m. ET, ESPN

No. 1 UConn (-13.5) vs. No. 3 Arizona, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Final Four Preview

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Stanford and UConn are the betting favorites. But South Carolina and Arizona are formidable opponents that are capable of reaching the national championship game.

Stanford is 29-2 and is on an 18-game winning streak, and its four NCAA tournament victories each came by at least 11 points. The Cardinal are coming off one of the most impressive showings of the tourney, as they defeated No. 2 Louisville 78-63. In that game, they erased a 12-point halftime deficit and dominated in the third and fourth quarters.

But Stanford may need to get off to a better start if it hopes to beat South Carolina, which is 26-4 and has also won each of its four NCAA tournament games by at least 11 points. The Gamecocks are coming off an impressive showing against No. 6 Texas in which they cruised to a 62-34 win and held the Longhorns scoreless during the fourth quarter.

"South Carolina is a very, very skilled and talented team, and I think if we come out in that first half playing like we did against Louisville that we'll dig ourselves too big of a hole, and that can't happen again," Stanford junior guard Lexie Hull said, per Daniel Martinez-Krams of The Stanford Daily. "So we need to come out ready, come out aggressive and not hold back."

While Stanford is making its eighth Final Four appearance since 2008, it hasn't reached the national championship game since 2010 and hasn't won a national title since 1992. Meanwhile, South Carolina won the national championship in 2017, making it the program that has most recently won a title among the remaining teams.

Although the Cardinal are favored to win this semifinal matchup, the line is only 5.5 points, so it wouldn't be surprising if the Gamecocks play a close game and potentially end up on top.

The betting line is much larger for the second Final Four game, with UConn favored to win by 13.5 points over Arizona. And that was to be expected after this matchup was set.

The Huskies are 28-1 this season, with their lone loss coming at Arkansas on Jan. 28. They rolled through the first three rounds of the NCAA tournament, winning each of those games by at least 20 points. In the Elite Eight, they edged No. 2 Baylor 69-67.

UConn freshman guard Paige Bueckers, who is averaging a team-high 20.1 points per game, is one of the best players in the country, and she will be looking to lead the Huskies to their first national championship since 2016.

To prevent an upset from happening, UConn likely will need to find a way to limit Arizona senior guard Aari McDonald, who is averaging 20.3 points per game. McDonald has scored more than 30 points in each of the Wildcats' past two games, which were victories over No. 2 Texas A&M and No. 4 Indiana.

Before this season, Arizona had never made it past the Sweet 16 of the women's NCAA tournament, and it had only reached that round once (1998). If the Wildcats hope to keep their historic season going, they will have to take down one of the best women's college basketball programs of all time in UConn.

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The NCAA women's basketball tournament is down to three powerhouses and a newcomer in the Final Four.

The UConn Huskies come in as the favorite to win the national championship because they have 11 titles and face the more favorable matchup against the Arizona Wildcats. 

Arizona knocked off the Indiana Hoosiers and Texas A&M Aggies in the second week of the competition to extend the Pac-12's dominance across the men's and women's tournaments. 

The Stanford Cardinal, who are the No. 1 overall seed, face the tougher Final Four showdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks, who have risen to the top of the sport under head coach Dawn Staley.

South Carolina has the most recent title of the foursome from 2017. UConn has not cut down the nets since 2016, and Stanford is vying for its first championship since 1992.

Women's Final Four Schedule

Friday, April 2

No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 1 South Carolina (6 p.m. ET, ESPN)

No. 1 UConn vs. No. 3 Arizona (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Games can be live-streamed on the ESPN app or ESPN.com.

Preview

UConn carries the most Final Four experience from the last three tournaments, but each of those runs ended in the semifinals.

The Huskies come into their matchup against Arizona with four double-digit victories, including triumphs over the Iowa Hawkeyes and Baylor Bears. 

Freshman guard Paige Bueckers is the top individual player to watch in the Final Four. She became the first freshman to win AP National Player of the Year on Wednesday. 

The 19-year-old is coming off a 28-point performance against Baylor, and her offensive dominance will be a major concern for Arizona's defenders. 

Bueckers isn't the only driving force in the UConn offense, though. Christyn Williams has turned in 48 points in the last two games. 

If Geno Auriemma's team cuts down the nets this year, it will be because of the play of Bueckers and Williams, who could tear apart an Arizona squad with no experience at this stage. 

The Wildcats' run has been nothing short of fantastic, but it did receive a bit of an easier path to the Final Four once the top-seeded NC State Wolfpack were eliminated in the Sweet 16.

Arizona held all four of its opponents under 60 points, but that is going to be a hard task against UConn. The Huskies have put up at least 69 points in all four tournament contests. 

South Carolina's defense may be more effective on Friday, as it is coming off a fourth-quarter shutout of the Texas Longhorns in the Elite Eight. 

The 62-34 score could have been much worse if the Gamecocks scored more than 10 points in the final stanza.

Three of South Carolina's opponents were held under 55 points, and it has conceded an average of 48.5 points per game in the NCAA tournament. 

Stanford has the potential to break that defensive hold through its quartet of guards who hurt the Missouri State Bears and Louisville Cardinals in the last two rounds. 

Three of Lexie Hull, Haley Jones, Kiana Williams and Anna Wilson reached double digits in those victories. Williams and Hull both had 30 points in the wins.

South Carolina's defense was the story the last time the two sides squared off in the Final Four in 2017. The Gamecocks held the Cardinal to 53 points in the semifinal and then went on to beat the Mississippi State Bulldogs for the title. 

Although the players are different for Friday's game, that matchup provides an idea of how the programs will match up from a stylistic standpoint.

South Carolina has not allowed more than 65 points during its seven-game winning streak, and only four teams crossed the 70-point mark in games that it won. 

If the Gamecocks can smother the Cardinal's offensive stars, they would likely set up a first-ever title game matchup with UConn. 

Statistics obtained from NCAA.com.

UConn star Paige Bueckers responded emotionally to being named the 2021 Associated Press women's basketball player of the year: 

The guard is the first freshman ever to win the award. 

"It's amazing, surreal for people to think of me that highly and to be in that position as a freshman," Bueckers said, via Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press. "To get this award, I'm extremely humbled and grateful."

Bueckers has been dominant since arriving on campus for the Huskies, averaging 20.1 points, 5.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game this season. She has been a go-to option for a team that is 28-1 and is now two games away from its first national championship since 2016.

The Minnesota native scored a game-high 28 points in the 69-67 win over Baylor that sent Connecticut to the Final Four.

Three No. 1 seeds are among the teams that have reached the Final Four of the 2021 NCAA women's basketball tournament.

That shouldn't come as a surprise, though. Stanford, UConn and South Carolina have been among the best teams in the country all season, and they're all national championship contenders.

However, the fourth team that still has national title aspirations is more of a surprise. Arizona has made a tournament run as a No. 3 seed, and it will be making its first Final Four appearance in program history.

The Wildcats had previously never made it beyond the Sweet 16. And the only other time they even reached that round was in 1998.

If Arizona is going to win its first national championship, it will have to take down two No. 1 seeds, starting with UConn in the semifinals, which take place Friday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The winner will advance to play either Stanford or South Carolina in the final on Sunday.

Here's everything else you need to know about this year's Final Four.

Final Four Schedule, Odds

Friday, April 2

No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 1 South Carolina (no line), 6 p.m. ET, ESPN

No. 1 UConn (-13.5) vs. No. 3 Arizona, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Final Four Preview

Throughout the tournament, each of the three remaining No. 1 seeds have looked impressive. And any of them could win the national championship.

Stanford is the No. 1 overall seed but hasn't been tested much, winning each of its first four tournament games by at least 11 points. In its Elite Eight round matchup on Tuesday, it defeated No. 2 Louisville 78-63, overcoming a 12-point halftime deficit with a dominant second half.

Making their eighth appearance in the Final Four since 2008, the Cardinal are looking to reach the national championship game for the first time since 2010. They haven't won a national title since 1992, but this could be their best opportunity to end that drought in a while.

However, Stanford is going to face a tough test against fellow No. 1 seed South Carolina on Friday. The Gamecocks have also won each of their four tournament games by at least 11 points, and they're coming off their most impressive showing yet.

South Carolina defeated No. 6 Texas 62-34 on Tuesday, when its defense completely shut down the Longhorns, who were held scoreless for the entire fourth quarter. Texas shot 23 percent from the field and 20 percent from three-point range, while committing 15 turnovers and being outrebounded 46-33.

Of the four remaining schools, South Carolina most recently won a national championship, in 2017, its only title in program history. That was also the last time the Gamecocks reached the Final Four.

There's a strong chance that the winner of the Stanford-South Carolina matchup will face UConn for the national title. The Huskies are making their 13th consecutive Final Four appearance and will be looking to win their seventh national championship since 2009.

However, UConn last won a national title in 2016. And considering how successful the program has been under longtime head coach Geno Auriemma, that's quite a drought for the Huskies.

Auriemma missed UConn's first two games of the tournament after testing positive for COVID-19, but that didn't slow down the Huskies, who won each of their first three games by at least 20 points. They were tested in their Elite Eight matchup against No. 2 Baylor on Monday but held on for a 69-67 victory.

While UConn will be heavy favorites to beat Arizona, the Wildcats have already made a surprise run to get to this point. They've notched impressive victories in the past two rounds, defeating No. 2 Texas A&M 74-59 in the Sweet 16 and beating No. 4 Indiana 66-53 in the Elite Eight.

Arizona senior guard Aari McDonald is having an impressive season, as she's averaging a team-high 20.3 points per game and has scored 31 and 33 points in the Wildcats' past two victories. If she has a big game against UConn, and if Arizona keeps playing at this high of a level, perhaps it will give UConn a competitive matchup.

Still, it remains highly likely that one of the No. 1 seeds will win the national championship. It's just not clear which one it will be.

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