UConn, South Carolina Battle in Women’s Final Four: Live Updates, Scores

Follow along with Sports Illustrated for live updates, highlights and analysis during Friday’s Final Four games.

UConn and South Carolina are playing a rematch of last year's title game. | Jordan Naholowaa Murph/ Sports Illustrated

The final weekend of the women’s NCAA tournament has arrived. If you somehow haven’t heard by now, this is a very familiar group in the women’s Final Four: UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Carolina. All four No. 1 seeds, all four teams that made it to this stage last year.

Friday’s action kicks off with a rematch of last year’s title game, with the Huskies and Gamecocks tipping off at 7 p.m. ET. Then the Bruins take on the only team they lost to this season in the Longhorns at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Follow along with Sports Illustrated throughout the Final Four for live updates, scores, highlights and analysis.

Live updates from the Final Four

Friday’s Final Four matchups

No. 1 UConn vs. No. 1 South Carolina, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

Much has been made about the same teams reaching this year’s Final Four from last year’s. And the game that kicks off the weekend will be a repeat of the 2025 title game. But as Emma Baccellieri wrote from Phoenix: This is not simply a rerun of last year. The Huskies, though undefeated, don't have Paige Bueckers anymore. But they do have a sophomore version of Sarah Strong who is averaging 18.6 points per game and has become one of the best players in the country, as well as last year’s Most Outstanding Player Azzi Fudd looking to end her college career on a high note.

On the other side, UConn coach Geno Auriemma summed it up his opponent best: “[The Gamecocks] have added some really key pieces. I think they’re a much better team than they were last year—really hard to prepare for. They’ve shot the ball exceptionally well this year. They’ve added size that is hard to match up with. Defensively, we have our challenges with them.” He’s right on all fronts. The Gamecocks added last year’s top scorer in Ta’Niya Latson and have gone from from shooting 34.0% from deep last season up to 37.7% this season. Dawn Staley needed more size to battle for boards so she added 6'6" transfer Madina Okot, who is averaging 10.8 rebounds per game. And sophomore Joyce Edwards has emerged into the typical high-scoring big the program is known for developing, averaging 19.7 points per game.

No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 1 Texas, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

The key here for the Bruins will be turnovers. When UCLA lost to Texas back in November, the Longhorns bullied 20 turnovers out of the Bruins with Jordan Lee and Rori Harmon overwhelming their guards. UCLA also had 18 turnovers against Duke, most of which came in the first half when the game was much closer than the final score ended up being. The Longhorns will lean on their suffocating defense, as they’ve done all tournament. As the best defensive team in the country, Texas just looks stronger and suffocating, holding each of it’s tournament opponents to fewer than 60 points. If the Bruins want to control this game, they will need to contain Madison Booker, which is no easy task.

These squads seemed to be overwhelmed in last year’s Final Four, both of them getting whipped in the semifinals. UCLA was appearing in its first Final Four since the NCAA started running it in the women’s tournament, and Texas was in their first since 2003. The Bruins have a starting lineup full of seniors; the Longhorns have a roster full of veteran players who are playing some of the best ball of their careers. With UCLA’s size against Texas’s staunch defense, expect this to be a gritty matchup.

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