South Carolina's experience shines, UCLA can play without Lauren Betts, Texas' offense is just as good as its defense, and UConn's depth is impressive as we look ahead to the Final Four.
And in the late game, No. 1 USC is as an underdog against No. 2 UConn, led by star guard Paige Bueckers. The Trojans, despite losing star JuJu Watkins to a season-ending injury earlier in the tournament, managed to survive their Sweet 16 matchup against Kansas State. But UConn will provide a much stiffer test.
Who is still playing in March Madness? See the Elite Eight teams in the NCAA Tournament, which runs on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30, 2025.
Bueckers has scored a total of 50 points across those two games, including 28 when UConn defeated USC in the Elite Eight last year to advance to the Final Four. Bueckers has also recorded a total of 13 rebounds and eight assists and has shot 44.4 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from 3-point range against the Trojans.
2025 NCAA Tournament favorites went a perfect 12-0 in both rounds. Favorites are also 50-13 straight-up in the 2025 tournament. The Final Four doesn't contain any surprising teams, as all four No. 1 seeds are still alive.
Tennessee veterans Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack were part of the Volunteers team that lost to Purdue in the Elite Eight last year. They could have left to explore their professional basketball opportunities, but decided to return to Tennessee for another opportunity like the one they have today.
The last spot in the Final Four will be determined in a rematch of one of last season’s Elite Eight matchups when the Regional 4 Spokane 1 seed the USC Trojans go against the 2 seed UConn Huskies at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Wash.
The USC Trojans' loss of JuJu Watkins will really be felt in the Elite Eight matchup on Monday against Paige Bueckers and the UConn Huskies. UConn is a 13.5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook for the Regional 4 final in Spokane.
2don MSN
UCLA women's basketball's Elite Eight win vs. LSU eliminated the final perfect bracket in the ESPN Tournament Challenge