South Carolina women's basketball: First Look at the Final Four
Take a first look at the Final Four as South Carolina women’s basketball now knows it will play Louisville at 7:00 pm Friday.
- The matchup that immediately catches my eye is Destanni Henderson versus Hailey Van Lith. Both players earned first-team all-conference honors this season, and Henderson was an honorable mention All-American. Both players have also stepped up their play in the Tournament. Van Lith became the first Cardinal player to score 20 points in four straight tournament games, while Henderson has been dialed in defensively. Van Lith has more scoring responsibility than Henderson, and Louisville spread out the playmaking responsibilities. It’s possible Zia Cooke or reserves Bree Hall and Saniya Rivers could guard Van Lith as well.
- Louisville is also a defense-first team. It could be another South Carolina-Miami final score.
- The Cardinals aren’t very big in the post, at least compared to the Gamecocks, but they don’t play like it. They limited Tamari Key earlier in the tournament, but Elissa Cunane and Elizabeth Kitley had double-doubles. 6-3 sophomore Olivia Cochran will be the main defender against Boston.
- Forward Emily Engstler is yet another Syracuse transfer, and she is the emotional leader for the Cardinals. She’s only 6-1 but she leads the Cardinals in rebounding with her hustle and tenacity. Think Aleighsa Welch with more of a three-point threat. The Gamecocks can’t let her have a big game.
- Player and Coach of the Year awards will be handed out in Minneapolis. The Naismith Awards will be announced Wednesday, and the AP and Wade awards Thursday. Finalists for the Wooden Award will be announced Wednesday as well.
- This was the last year with four regional sites. Beginning next year there are just two. They are Greenville, SC, and Seattle, WA, (2023), Albany, NY, and Portland, OR, (2024), and Birmingham, AL and Spokane, WA, (2025). (I’m already bracing myself for the fit ESPN is going to throw when UConn has to leave the northeast in two of those years.) I’m not in favor of the plan because it makes it harder for fans to travel and I think that will cancel out having more teams in one location. I understand why there is a west coast site each year, but there should always be a southeastern site because that’s where most of the top programs are. I’m increasingly starting to like Debbie Antonelli’s idea of hosting the entire tournament in Las Vegas.
- The future Final Four sites are Dallas (2023), Cleveland (2024), Tampa (2025), and Phoenix (2026).
