CLEVELAND — All eyes are on Cleveland as the field for the NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four is officially set.
The University of Iowa, University of South Carolina, North Carolina State and the University of Connecticut are the last standing from what started as a 64-team tournament.
The overall No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks will play the No. 3 seed NC State Wolfpack at 7 p.m. on Friday, followed by the No. 1 Iowa Hawkeyes against the No. 3 UConn Huskies.
The winners of each respective game will earn a spot in the NCAA Championship, which is taking place on Sunday, April 7, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The game will tip off at 3 p.m.
Here's what you need to know about the teams and their path to the Final Four...
University of Iowa
- Record: 33-4
- Head Coach: Lisa Bluder
- Seed: 1
The biggest star in college basketball and arguably the most popular athlete right now is headed to The Land — Caitlin Clark. Clark and her Iowa Hawkeyes waited nearly a year to get revenge on LSU after the Tigers defeated them in last year’s championship. After a dominant 94-87 victory over the Tigers in the Elite Eight, which included 41 points from Clark, Iowa clinched a spot in the final four for the second year in a row. Finally, Clark, who is a senior, has another chance to fight for a championship title before she heads to the WNBA Draft.
University of South Carolina
- Record: 36-0
- Head Coach: Dawn Staley
- Seed: 1
For the second consecutive season, the Gamecocks head into the final four undefeated. Despite dealing with injuries and adversity, the Gamecocks have shown that they have depth and power. South Carolina is looking to win a third national title under coach Dawn Staley after winning in 2017 and 2022. With the Gamecocks heading into the Final Four holding a 36-0 record, it’s hard to see anyone beating this team.
North Carolina State
- Record: 31-6
- Head Coach: Wes Moore
- Seed: 3
To say that March Madness has been epic for NC State would be an understatement. The Wolfpack is headed to Cleveland, appearing in the Final Four for the first time since 1998. To make things even better for NC State, their men’s basketball team has proven themselves as this year's March Madness Cinderella Story, earning a spot in the final four as an 11 seed. While this has only happened twice, both times by UConn, NC State has a chance at etching its name in history, becoming the second team ever to win a championship in the same year in both men’s and women’s basketball.
University of Connecticut
- Record: 33-5
- Head Coach: Geno Auriemma
- Seed: 3
The last team to earn a spot in the Final Four was UConn after defeating the No. 1 seed USC 80-73 on Monday night. After missing last season with an ACL injury, standout Paige Bueckers paved the way for the Huskies in their Elite Eight victory, scoring 28 points and grabbing 10 boards, notching a double-double. The team's trip to the Final Four marks their 15th out of the last 16 years. Friday's game between UConn and Iowa will be a rematch of the Sweet 16 in 2021 when both Clark and Bueckers were freshmen. UConn won that game 92-72.
Betting odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Now that the field is set, here is who is predicted to win:
- South Carolina: -225
- Iowa: +330
- UConn: +800
- NC State: +1,600