The NCAA women's basketball tournament has been full of surprises, and the Final Four is no exception. This year, there will be no familiar names in the semifinals, as none of the sport's most decorated programs made it this far. Instead, fans will see both fresh faces and the defending champions vying for a chance to win it all.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley expressed her excitement about this new chapter in women's basketball history. "This is a new history that we're venturing into," she said.
In one semifinal matchup, South Carolina will take on Stanford. The Gamecocks are making their third appearance in the Final Four but have yet to win a championship. Meanwhile, Stanford is looking to add another title to their impressive collection of two national championships.
The other semifinal game features Arizona against Connecticut. Arizona is making their first-ever appearance in the Final Four after upsetting some top teams along the way. On the other hand, Connecticut is a perennial contender with 11 national titles under their belt.
While there may not be any traditional powerhouses in this year's Final Four lineup, these teams have proven that they belong on this stage with hard-fought victories throughout March Madness.
Fans can tune in on April 2nd to see which team comes out on top and earns a spot in the championship game on April 4th. It may be unfamiliar territory for some of these programs, but they are ready to make history and leave their mark on women's college basketball forever.