If regional finals are a foreshadowing, we’re in for a fantastic season finale as there are so many dramatic storylines set for a finish. The Sooners are favorites for a three-peat, the Tigers and the Golden Bears are both hungry for their programs’ first titles, and a handful of legacy programs and underdogs are dangerous threats for big upsets. And with another broadcast set for ABC and women’s sports more popular than ever, there’s no doubt these eight teams will rise to the occasion.
First up are the teams. Thursday’s first semifinal is between Arkansas, California, LSU, and Stanford, while the evening session will include Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, and Utah. Two teams from each of these Thursday competitions will advance to the national final on Saturday. There are also individuals who will compete on Thursday with individual titles and All-America honors on the line, but we’ll get to that in a separate preview.
For a more in-depth explanation of the postseason format, check out our NCAA postseason guide.
The Contenders
No. 1 Oklahoma
Semifinal Two: Thursday, April 18 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2
Starting Event: Vault
Relevant Stats: 396.900 NQS | 198.400 regional final | 198.360 AVG | 198.950 high
Why It’ll Win: This team is historically good, even…
