The 2026 NCAA Women’s Final Four is ready to get underway later tonight, and the first game in Phoenix is a doozy. Unlike on the men’s side, all four of the women’s No. 1 seeds have advanced to the national semifinals.
South Carolina Gamecocks Vs. UConn Huskies: Women’s Final Four Prediction, Preview, and Odds
In Game 1, the undefeated UConn Huskies (38-0) face the South Carolina Gamecocks (35-3). Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. (ET) at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The Huskies and Gamecocks are squaring off for the 17th time in program history, including for the fourth time in the NCAA Tournament.
UConn leads the all-time series 11-5 and has won the last two matchups. The latest victory came in the 2025 national championship game, where the Huskies picked up their 13th national title with an 82-59dominating victory. Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd led the way for the Huskies with 24 points, while current Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers added 17. Strong also added 15 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks.
“This is a different South Carolina team than the one we played last year,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Thursday. “Our two wins against them last year don’t really mean anything.”
UConn is favored by 6.5 points tonight. Meanwhile, the game total is set at 136.5. Six of the eight matchups this decade between the Huskies and Gamecocks have been decided by double digits. The average total score in those contests is 133 points, though the programs have gone over 140 points in four straight.
@Kirby Lee, Imagn Images
