Nearly half a million brackets in the Women’s Tournament Challenge correctly predicted UCLA, South Carolina, Texas and UConn to reach the Final Four. While many expected these teams to reach Tampa, Florida, they are an interesting split of old and new.
First, the old: UConn has been here 16 of the past 17 years and in 24 Final Fours in all under Geno Auriemma. The Huskies are the only No. 2 seed left but enter the Final Four as the favorite, according to ESPN BET. South Carolina has reached the final weekend for the fifth consecutive year and is trying to become the first back-to-back champion since UConn won four in a row from 2013 to 2016.
And the new: Vic Schaefer led Mississippi State to the Final Four in 2017 and 2018, but he has Texas in its first national semifinal since 2003. UCLA has never played this deep into the season in the NCAA era.
For just the sixth time in the history of the AP Top 25, four teams were ranked No. 1 during the season. Three — South Carolina, Texas and UCLA — will be in Tampa. That’s how open this weekend’s race to the championship will be. UCLA and UConn will play for the first time this season, while Texas and South Carolina will…
