By Isabel Smail
Iowa
Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes have put on a show for their fans this tournament season. For the first time in 30 years, Iowa has made it to the Final Four thanks to its explosive offensive game. In their last game, the Hawkeyes scored 97 points over Louisville — during the regular season, Iowa’s offense averaged 87.5 points per game — and they have shown no signs of slowing down this March. Clark, currently ranked as the best women’s college basketball player in the country, has been the most prominent contributor to the Hawkeye’s success. In fact, against Louisville, she scored 41 points, making Clark the only person to have a 30+ point triple-double in NCAA basketball history. Expect a high-paced game between the Hawkeyes and the South Carolina Gamecocks because both teams will capitalize if given any offensive space.
LSU
The Tigers kicked off the tournament in full Louisiana style, with spunk, feistiness, and a side of glittery outfits from head coach Kim Mulkey. Fans were worried that LSU’s lack of competition in the regular season schedule would prevent the team from having success in this year’s tournament. However, the Tigers have successfully made it to the Final Four, upsetting Utah and thwarting Miami’s Cinderella story. LSU plays a fast and gritty offense, powered by Alexis Morris and Angel Reese.
Defensively, the Tigers are also a very strong rebounding team — in their Elite 8 win over Miami, 6’3” superstar Angel Reese had a whopping total of 18 defensive rebounds. LSU is entering the Final Four as the lowest-ranked team (No. 3 seed) and will have to beat the No. 1 Virginia Tech Hokies in order to proceed to the finals. However, the Tiger’s made it to the Final Four with the determined intention of winning this entire tournament and are confidently ready to take on the Hokies.
South Carolina
The reigning NCAA champions, the South Carolina Gamecocks, look to defend both their title and their undefeated season. Under the inspiring leadership of Dawn Stanley, the Gamecocks have maintained a perfect 36-0 record and are striving to continue that streak. Both Aliyah Boston and Zia Cook are offensive powerhouses on the court, but the Gamecocks do not just rely on their superstars; they have a deep and thoroughly skilled roster. South Carolina also has one of the best defenses in the history of women’s college basketball. In fact, South Carolina prevented its first three opponents in the tournament (Norfolk State, South Florida, and UCLA) from scoring more than 50 points.
The Gamecocks have consistently shut down superstar players and other gritty offenses, as they have both a size and stamina advantage over the majority of their opponents. That being said, the Gamecocks will face their most challenging opponent yet, Iowa, in the Final Four, as Iowa has the highest-scoring offense in the league, but South Carolina has the strongest defense. The two teams will clash on March 31st, and the battle on the court will definitely be one to remember.
Virginia Tech
Continuing their 11-game winning streak since the end of their regular season, the Virginia Tech Hokies have blazed all the way to the Final Four this year. While the Hokies have certainly earned their No. 1 seed position, they do lack the experience that No. 1 seeds typically have. In fact, in the entire history of Virginia Tech women’s basketball, the Hokies have never made it to the Final Four. That being said, the Hokies are led on the floor by the dominant 6’6” center Elizabeth Kitley and by stellar point guard Georgia Amoore. Virginia Tech’s opponents, the LSU Tigers play a quick and aggressive offense, so the team will have to play a bold defensive game in order to win. If Kitley and Amoore can continue to set the tone for their teammates by maintaining their composure in the face of their opponents, the LSU Tigers, then it is likely that the Hokies will be making an appearance in the finals.
But who would we wager on? It’s fortunate that you found Only Players. Here are Draftkings’ preliminary Final Four odds. As you can see, the favorites to win are LSU and South Carolina.
• LSU -2 (-135) vs. Virginia Tech +2 (+115), O/U 133
• Iowa +12 (+500) vs. South Carolina -12 (-675), O/U 150
Photo credits: Courtesy of Iowa WBB’s Instagram, LSU WBB’s Instagram, South Carolina WBB’s Instagram, Virginia Tech WBB’s Instagram
