Who makes the Final 4

[browns]

Did you WATCH the game or just look at the final score or read posts about the game?

I'll tell you why that score was what it was. Boston College shot out of their minds that game...I think it was their best THREE-shooting game of the entire season and NC State couldn't buy a basket until late the 4th quarter. Then, BC came back down to earth, NC State ratcheted up the defensive pressure, BC folded and NC State came back to win.

Go on not believing. No guarantee NC State will make the Final Four. They're going to have to re-discover their shooting touch, which was a little off during the ACCT. And there's lots of stiff competition in their part of the bracket.

I think they can be one of the final teams standing...but on the other hand, for all 13 previous trips to the Sweet 16 for NC State's storied program, it has only advanced to the Elite Eight one time -- 1998, when we beat UCONN to advance to our only Final Four.

Yes I watched the whole game and beside the 3 point shooting BC outplayed them.There was a couple of questionable coaching moves and the time management was terrible towards the end. My point was the way NCS played against a bad BC team. I hope NCS makes it to the final four.If Uconn does what they are supposed to I'd much rather see them face NCS than A&M

 

[LoTrader]

To be fair, the women usually run pretty close to chalk....

True. 2016 was a whacky year with 7th seed UW & 4th seed Syracuse in F4. I happen to think we are going to get a seed higher than #1 or #2 in F4 this year.

 

[cbraarj]

Staley's coaching is not good? Isn't she the U.S. national team coach and won a national championship more recently than Geno?

Isn't she the South Carolina Coach that after winning her NC in 2017 was losing to UConn by 28 at halftime! Also didn't call a her first timeout until 90 seconds left in the half before losing big! Chalk it up to a bad game. I don't think so! NCAA Tournament SC vs Uconn in the Elite 8. Dawn threw a fit because where she was placed in the Huskies region! Uconn up almost 30 again at halftime! When does Staley call her first timeout again 90 seconds before halftime! Geno thumped her twice! As far as USA Head Coach was given to her because she has been part of USA Basketball for ever. KLS still plays with them and hardly plays with her WNBA team. There's a lot more better players than her. Staley was a great player but only an average coach. Watch those 2 games and see what I saw!

 

[Tonyc]

The teams that make the FF will be the teams that play defense better, have a go to player, and a team that has ball handlers. That leaves UConn Lville and Stanford. The fourth team to make it could be a team that can score alot of points because imo no other team has what I believe they need to get there.

 

[Kaizen]

This is ESPN's bracket summary from the participants:

 

[Cornell Lt]

I'm a 2 per center for picking Georgia for the F4

 

[Sched234]

Stanford, UConn, TAMU, and SC (I really debated if it would be Maryland or SC but Maryland has a much worse defense).

I am a big fan of both SC and Maryland’s teams and so their bracket pairing is both a dream and a nightmare for me. I have little stake in the game but think everyone would do well to remember that Boston pounded Maryland as a freshman when the Terps had a 6’5” player to match up with her. I expect Maryland’s defensive plan would completely revolve around her a la Alabama’s this year and thus far the Gamecocks have been able to figure it out (although MD is far better than Alabama and most teams SC has dealt with).

The only sure thing about this matchup is that South Carolina cannot match Maryland bucket-for-bucket and Maryland probably cannot defense SC well, either. It should be a toss-up in my opinion. I understand why many are picking Maryland but find it puzzling that it’s treated as a foregone conclusion.

 

[King Kong]

Most years not all 4 number one seeds make the final four.This year is even tougher with 7 or 8 capable of reaching the final four.I think Stanford has the easiest path with a possible match with L'ville( if L'ville can beat Georgia which I doubt) in the elite 8 and I think Stanford wins that by double didgits.. I don't think NC State will make it.If they get to the elite 8 Texas A&M wll beat them..Can Maryland beat SC.Brenda may be coach of the year but Dawn is a better coach..I'll take SC..That leaves Uconn.If they get to the elite 8 more than likely will face Baylor..Tenn could give Baylor trouble..So the same thing as last year.The Huskies hung in there for 3 quarters with them but then Smith took over.Yes Uconn is a better defensive team than last year but how do they contain Smith from going off.Geno has a history of taking the best opposing player out of the game.Paige is a 1st team AA but so is Smith.But I'll go with Uconn by3..SO I have only NC State not making it..Of the top 8 teams with a chance to make it 7 of them have been to the final four and 6 of the coaches have won a National Championship so there is no clear cut coaches advantage

Her Hoop Stats said: "DiDi Richards might be one of the few defenders in the country who can match up with Bueckers one-on-one. If she can turn it into a game of four-on-four, Baylor could end UConn’s run of 12 straight Final Fours." I've thought Baylor would be a tough game, but I think the Huskies will win. I don't know Baylor well enough to comment on DiDi Richards, but I see this Baylor team as the biggest impediment to meeting Stanford (presumably) in the final.

 

[southie]

The teams that make the FF will be the teams that play defense better, have a go to player, and a team that has ball handlers. That leaves UConn Lville and Stanford. The fourth team to make it could be a team that can score alot of points because imo no other team has what I believe they need to get there.

Stanford and Louisville are in the same region.

 

[Heytherego]

Her Hoop Stats said: "DiDi Richards might be one of the few defenders in the country who can match up with Bueckers one-on-one. If she can turn it into a game of four-on-four, Baylor could end UConn’s run of 12 straight Final Fours." I've thought Baylor would be a tough game, but I think the Huskies will win. I don't know Baylor well enough to comment on DiDi Richards, but I see this Baylor team as the biggest impediment to meeting Stanford (presumably) in the final.

Didi is for sure a TOUGH kid to get by. With that being said not much she can do if she’s getting screened left and right, whole team defense will have to be on. The thing with Paige is, she isn’t a volume shooter she doesn’t need a lot of shots to have a 20 point outing.

 

[SimpleDawg]

Arkansas
Maryland
UConn
Arizona

random guesses is all

 

[jabstep]

There is no dominant team this year in WCBB. It will come down to defense which can always be on, how a team shoots that day, coaching, and matchups. UConn has a very good defense with good on-ball pressure with Nika and overplay on other perimeter players. They have Liv as the rim protector if the guards get beat off the dribble or on a back door, Liv is there to stop them. Arkansas got Liv away from the basket with the player Live was guarding standing at the 3 point line and Dunggee had a field day exposing our guard's man-on-man defense. That is the only weakness we have on defense is when we play against little ball but it exposes the other team on defense. With Edwards and Griffin, we can match up against teams such as Baylor. Coaching is in our favor because Geno has been there before and won. Matchups we can handle. It will all depends on how we shoot that day when we get to the elite 8 and onward. We have Paige, so I pick UConn over Stanford in a nail-biter.

 

[visitingcock]

???
@visitingcock assigned the pic?
Did you bet on Duke against SC?
If that is the case, I admire your loyalty sir, but not your common sense.

I offered the bet that I could predict the four #1 seeds. Triad took the bait. I nailed it. I thought about giving a UNC related avatar but decided to be merciful.

 

[Bald Husky]

I don't know, but one of the commentators said something along the line of "wow" if the top 8 seeds make it to the elite 8. With the talent level so close between all of those 8, that could be about the most interesting elite 8 in a long long time.

Andy Landers

 

[Ozimoto]

Discretion is the better part of valor for me this year. I have no confidence that any particular team will make the final four. Yes, you can say team x or team y "should" make the final four, but there don't seem to be any teams that are clearly more superiors than the others past the sweet 16 in my opinion.

 

[TerpWomenFan]

I am a big fan of both SC and Maryland’s teams and so their bracket pairing is both a dream and a nightmare for me. I have little stake in the game but think everyone would do well to remember that Boston pounded Maryland as a freshman when the Terps had a 6’5” player to match up with her. I expect Maryland’s defensive plan would completely revolve around her a la Alabama’s this year and thus far the Gamecocks have been able to figure it out (although MD is far better than Alabama and most teams SC has dealt with).

The only sure thing about this matchup is that South Carolina cannot match Maryland bucket-for-bucket and Maryland probably cannot defense SC well, either. It should be a toss-up in my opinion. I understand why many are picking Maryland but find it puzzling that it’s treated as a foregone conclusion.

You make really good points here. To beat Maryland you need to rebound well, especially on the offensive glass. South Carolina does this very well. The other thing is to hit your perimeter shots that South Carolina does not do well. On offense Collins and Bibby are the keys. Whoever Boston is guarding, they can take her out of the post because they are good shooting from the perimeter. Also, Owusu will try to post Cooke and Henderson because they can't guard her down there.

Of course both of them have to get that far in order to play each other.

 

[ScuderiaDiU]

UConn
Stanford
South Carolina
Cannon Fodder (probably NC State)

 

[dogged1]

I offered the bet that I could predict the four #1 seeds. Triad took the bait. I nailed it. I thought about giving a UNC related avatar but decided to be merciful.

That is hilarious. I am not sure I would have been so kind. Triad sporting a Tar Heel avatar would have been beyond words.

 

[Baylor1994]

The teams that make the FF will be the teams that play defense better, have a go to player, and a team that has ball handlers. That leaves UConn Lville and Stanford. The fourth team to make it could be a team that can score alot of points because imo no other team has what I believe they need to get there.

Louisville and Stanford both can’t make it since they’re in the same region

 

[Baylor1994]

Baylor, Stanford, nc state, and Maryland!
Last year Baylor ended UConn’s 98 home game winning streak! This year we can end their run of 12 straight final fours (hopefully).

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think this is a year when only 1-2 top seeds make the Final Four. I'll go out on a limb.

UConn

TAMU

Arkansas

Maryland

 

[LoTrader]

I think this is a year when only 1-2 top seeds make the Final Four. I'll go out on a limb.

UConn

TAMU

Arkansas

Maryland

@MilfordHusky, I agree with you although I believe Stanford is the only #1 seed that is a "lock" to make the Final 4

 

[MilfordHusky]

@MilfordHusky, I agree with you although I believe Stanford is the only #1 seed that is a "lock" to make the Final 4

I agree that Stanford is very strong, but I went wild and picked Arkansas to knock them out with a barrage of threes and free throws. Who knows?! Neighbors coached against them when he was at UW.

 

[LoTrader]

I agree that Stanford is very strong, but I went wild and picked Arkansas to knock them out with a barrage of threes and free throws. Who knows?!

This year, you are correct....WHO KNOWS? This will be a very exciting Tournament, given this very unique season.