Last 4 picks: Are South Carolina favorites to win the Nationwide Championship?

Final Four picks: Are South Carolina favorites to win the National Championship?

South Carolina has been the #1 group this season and can begin the 2023 NCAA Ladies’s Championship as the popular wager and the group with one of the best likelihood of successful the title in keeping with ESPN’s Basketball Energy Index. However is Gamecocks the unanimous favourite amongst ESPN’s group of consultants?

With a robust line-up of opponents and a loss within the SEC Championship remaining, South Carolina — the highest seed within the Greensboro Regional with a 29% likelihood of successful all of it, in keeping with BPI — is aware of the trail to this system’s second NCAA championship will not be straightforward. Nonetheless, pushed by final season’s impending failure within the eventual champion Stanford semifinals, the Gamecocks have one other nice participant at Aliyah Boston, simply as they did with A’ja Wilson after they received the 2017 title.

In the meantime, fellow No. 1 seed Stanford (Spokane Regional) has not misplaced since December 21, when the Cardinal went down in South Carolina. After ending final 12 months’s 29-year title drought, Stanford College is searching for to turn out to be the fourth program (Tennessee, Ocon, USC) to win not less than two consecutive packages.

Husky, who’re on the hunt for his or her first title since 2016, have made each quadruple remaining since 2008, and after an injury-strewn season, they look like in higher well being in time. They’re the #2 seed, however could have the benefit of being the “house” group in the event that they advance to the close by Bridgeport Regional. NC State is the highest seed there and is attempting to make its first four-way remaining since 1998.

The opposite high seed is Louisville, who not too long ago reached the Last 4 in 2018 and continues to be chasing this system’s first nationwide title. Three-time champion Baylor is the No. 2 seed in Wichita. The Cardinals and Bears each misplaced final season’s Elite Eight.

So what groups will find yourself in Minneapolis? Who will minimize the web? Here is how ESPN’s Michela Voibel, Alexa Filippo, and Charlie Krim see it when the primary spherical ends Friday (11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN2).

Comply with this hyperlink for the printable NCAA Ladies’s 2023 Championship bracket, and go to this hyperlink to fill out the Ladies’s Championship Problem bracket.

Gamecocks cut up the votes in our predictions. Why or did not you beat South Carolina to win the 2023 title?

feeler: The 2 deepest groups within the subject seem like South Carolina and Stanford, and if each play to their potential, they are going to meet within the NCAA Last. At this level, I give a slight benefit to the Cardinal, regardless of dropping on December 21 in Columbia, South Carolina. Stanford struggled with turnarounds in that match, and it may nonetheless be an issue for the Cardinal. However Stanford was probably the most constant group within the match.

In the event that they meet within the Nationwide Championship sport, Stanford’s three-point shot may very well be the distinction. The Cardinal made 224 rides, whereas the Gamecocks made 148. If South Carolina could make this title a defensive match, Gamecocks is just a little higher at that finish of the sector. However offensively, Stanford can subject groups and exhaust defenses.

That is why I will the Cardinal to repeat, as I feel it is perhaps the one group that may maintain South Carolina from successful all of it.

Filippo: I’ll admit that I’m fairly able to eat the crow at this alternative. South Carolina is certainly one of 13 groups within the AP Ballot Period to have spent your entire season ranked primary within the nation, and 11 of the earlier 12 groups have received the Nationwide Championship. I think about Gamecocks having a chip on their shoulders coming into the large dance after collapsing within the SEC Championship remaining, keen to point out that the nation can win all of it.

However what makes me pause is that if the nationwide title match ends with a rematch of South Carolina and Stanford, I am unsure Gamecocks will sweep the season sequence.

Voepel just about took the phrases out of my mouth as to how Stanford outperformed South Carolina. It must also be famous that the Cardinal led 18 video games in Colombia, and in the end with 14 within the half. Transformations have hit them in the long term, partly because of South Carolina’s rediscovering of their defensive id, but in addition on the time Stanford was nonetheless searching for consistency on the level following Keanna Williams’ departure to the WNBA. Greater than two months later, Tara VanDerveer’s facet seems to have largely settled on that entrance, with Anna Wilson, Lacie, Lexie Hull and Haley Jones all ripping round on the ball and enhancing from the beginning of the season.

Stanford delivered the ball 20 occasions in December and misplaced by simply 4 factors. Within the rematch in April, I anticipated them to take higher care of the ball, come out with a win, and turn out to be the fourth program in girls’s championship historical past to repeat as champion.

beneficiant: After dropping to Kentucky within the SEC Tour Last, Gamecocks provided a number of causes to be just a little suspicious. Free-throw capturing and offensive kill within the fourth quarter weren’t nationwide championship caliber that day.

However I nonetheless selected South Carolina, which is the deepest and most proficient group within the nation. Current releases will be fastened within the fourth quarter; It wasn’t an issue that lasted all season, however quite crept into the final two video games towards the Ole Miss and Kentucky.

Regardless of dropping to the Wildcats, South Carolina dominated one of the best convention within the nation all season. The Gamecocks have the bottom common factors per sport among the many #1 seed, however their protection is superb, rating second nationally in opponents factors per 100 possessions, in keeping with Her Hoops Stats. They’ll cease any offense; Stanford scored simply 61 factors towards South Carolina on December 21.

As Voepel talked about, Stanford transformations had been a problem in that sport. The Cardinal battled with quick sporting guards and made 20 turns towards the Gamecocks. Additionally they had 20 turns in one other loss to the Texas, a sport through which Stanford could not include Rory Harmon, the proficient rookie guard for the Longhorns.

South Carolina guards, Future Henderson and Zia Cook dinner, are simply the type of yard Stanford would not wish to play towards. These two are key to your entire South Carolina course, and it is going to be if these two proficient groups meet once more.

What are the keys to Louisville or North Carolina successful its first NCAA title?

feeler: South Carolina and Stanford have loads of depth, however NC State spreads its offensive line nicely, too. Wolfpack averages 74.6 PPG with two gamers – quarterback Elissa Cunane (13.8) and goalkeeper Diamond Johnson (10.9) – with double-digit averages. NC State made 237 three-pointers, 5 gamers making 30 or extra. Cunane is their hub, however she would not want a tremendous championship to win NC State. She simply must be her self, like Wolfpack must do as a group.

Turns, overcoming fouls and never hitting the streak onerous sufficient are what price North Carolina State a 73-70 loss to Indiana final season’s Candy 16. These are the issues that Wolfpack usually avoids. This group isn’t basically completely different from final season, apart from Johnson’s addition, a switch. Briefly, North Carolina State has an opportunity of successful that title, but it surely has a smaller margin of error than South Carolina or Stanford.

As for Louisville, the Cardinals are the second finest defensive group statistically behind South Carolina among the many high 4, and that ought to be how they get the NCAA title. Louisville appeared to have crossed the mark even in getting the highest seed, so kudos to the Cardinals for that. Louisville can be a really stunning match.

Filippo: Louisville’s id revolves round its protection, however for a deep run, the Cardinal would wish a breakout championship from Kianna Smith and/or Hailey Van Lith. The widespread denominator in Louisville losses is that their assault will get chilly (it is 1-4 when their offensive ranking is 89.0 factors per 100 possessions or worse), and this duo provides the Cardinals their finest likelihood of attacking. And most significantly for Louisville within the wake of current failures towards NC State and Miami: Do not surrender the lead within the late fourth quarter.

Exterior of the highest seed, what different group has one of the best likelihood of successful all of it?

beneficiant: I selected UConn, not Stanford, as my nationwide runner-up, so the 2nd seed husky ought to be my alternative right here. The truth that we noticed this wholesome model of UConn for just a few video games on the finish of the season makes that extra of a guesswork than anything on this match. However my reminiscence is not so brief that I do not bear in mind October, when most of us assumed the Huskies would make it to 14th in a row within the Last 4. After all, that was earlier than the Paige Bakers hit a knee in early December and missed 19 video games. That was earlier than star Azzi Fad was out 11 video games attributable to a foot harm. It was additionally earlier than eight completely different strongmen would miss not less than two matches attributable to harm or sickness.

It is all within the rearview mirror now, however the lack of time round which UConn’s star-studded spin has reigned leaves just a few query marks. Bueckers have not performed vital minutes since their comeback towards St. John’s on February 25. Senior Kristen Williams has been doing nicely recently however has been inconsistent this season. The identical will be mentioned about Durka Johas.

UConn’s arrival in Minneapolis is not the wasted consequence it appeared like early within the season, however the expertise and coach at Geno Auriemma who is aware of the right way to develop it wins. And possibly huskies as nicely, not less than till the championship match.

feeler: UConn’s Last 4 line is ridiculous. The final time the Husky could not make it to the ultimate weekend of the season, they misplaced within the Elite Eight to LSU when Sylvia Fowles was nonetheless younger. Now, she’s gearing as much as play the fifteenth and remaining season of the WNBA.

Tossed her 11 NCAA titles, and he or she’s an anticipated option to compete, even when she’s not the highest seed. However let’s check out one other second seed: Baylor.

In the event you’ve simply watched the Bears’ Large 12 win within the quarterfinals and semi-finals, you are left saying, “Be careful. It may very well be an actual downside in Minneapolis.” In the event you simply watched their loss to Texas within the remaining of the Large 12, you’d have doubted that they’d make the journey to Minnesota. Who’s the actual Baylor?

A lot nearer to the primary model. It was Texas’ third sport with Baylor this season, and the Longhorns had been very excited to finish their 13-game dropping streak towards the Bears. However Baylor has top-of-the-line gamers within the nation in NaLyssa Smith, one other power inside at Queen Egbo, and really robust guard play.

And what about Texas, which additionally ranks second? The Longhorns’ final four-way remaining was in 2003, which was additionally the one different time they received the Large 12. Harmon rose to the nationwide highlight due to her efficiency this previous weekend in Kansas Metropolis, the place she was excellent in assault in addition to annoyance. The diligent who has at all times been on the defensive ball.

Can Texas trip the wave of Large 12 championships till this system’s second nationwide championship? That is a stretch, however few anticipated the Longhorns to achieve the Elite Eight final season, and so they did.

The final 4 selections

Andrea Adelson: South Carolina (champion), LSU, Baylor, NC State

Debbie Antonelli: South Carolina, Stanford, Louisville, NC (winner)

Katie Barnes: South Carolina (champion), Stanford, Baylor, Ocon

Jay Bellas: Iowa, Stanford (champion), Louisville, Ocon

Charlie Karim: South Carolina (champion), Stanford, Baylor, Ocon

Kevin Bilton: South Carolina (champion), Stanford, Baylor, Ocon

Alexa Filippo: South Carolina, Stanford (champion), Baylor, Ocon

Michael Voebel: South Carolina, Stanford (champion), Baylor, NC State

Brock Weisbrod: South Carolina (champion), Stanford, Louisville, Ocon