Published By: Sports Desk
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It’s a girls’s Final Four filled with stars. Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso and Paige Bueckers on the courtroom, plus Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma on the sidelines.
It’s a girls’s Final Four filled with stars. Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso and Paige Bueckers on the courtroom, plus Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma on the sidelines.
After Iowa and LSU performed to a record-setting TV viewers within the regional finals, the Hawkeyes are joined by South Carolina, UConn and North Carolina State for the season’s last act. While a lot of the main focus going into Friday night time’s semifinals is on just a few particular person stars, getting right here was a crew effort.
Here’s a take a look at what the superior stats — tracked on-line by Her Hoop Stats (HHS) — inform us concerning the 4 groups competing for the championship.
HHS Rank: 1
Strengths: Defensively, the Gamecocks are in a category by themselves. With the 6-foot-7 Cardoso defending the basket, South Carolina is holding opponents to an efficient subject aim proportion of 36.4, the highest defensive mark within the nation. The Gamecocks aren’t fairly as dominant on the offensive glass as final yr, however they’re enjoying at a quicker tempo and have turn into extra environment friendly total on offense. An incapacity to shoot 3-pointers price them within the Final Four final yr, however that’s not a weak point with South Carolina making them at a 39% clip in 2023-24.
Weaknesses: The Gamecocks shoot simply 69% from the free throw line and don’t do a very good job getting there.
In This Tournament: That enchancment from past the arc got here in helpful for the Gamecocks of their one shut sport on this event. They shot 8 of 16 in a 79-75 win over Indiana within the Sweet 16.
HHS Rank: 2
Strengths: You can see how Clark impacts the crew stats. Iowa ranks No. 1 in offensive ranking and efficient subject aim proportion. The Hawkeyes are additionally on the prime in 2-point subject aim proportion, with Clark’s passing skill organising straightforward alternatives for teammates.
Weaknesses: This is the weakest defensive crew left, even once you account for Iowa’s quick tempo. The Hawkeyes are twenty second within the nation in defensive ranking. They’ll be attempting to win regardless of that, relying on merely outscoring their opponents greater than shutting them down.
In This Tournament: Only West Virginia, within the second spherical, has been in a position to decelerate Iowa’s offense, and that got here on an evening the Hawkeyes shot 5 of twenty-two from 3-point vary. Clark had solely three assists in that sport.
HHS Rank: 3
Strengths: The Huskies are effectively balanced, rating fifth in offensive ranking and second in defensive ranking. Opponents are taking pictures solely 36% from the sphere in opposition to them.
Weaknesses. UConn doesn’t get to the road fairly often. The Huskies common 15.3 makes an attempt per sport, and each different Final Four crew is at 18.9 or higher.
In This Tournament: UConn has held all 4 opponents underneath 34% from the sphere. The Huskies lastly acquired to the road a great quantity in opposition to Southern California within the regional last, however they shot simply 17 of 27.
HHS Rank: 14
Strengths: The Wolfpack have the fourth-lowest foul price within the nation, though given South Carolina’s spotty free throw taking pictures, that may not be a lot of a bonus for his or her semifinal. N.C. State has additionally completed a great job on the defensive boards, which could possibly be a extra vital asset.
Weaknesses: The Wolfpack are simply twenty fifth in offensive ranking. They aren’t nice at forcing turnovers or getting offensive rebounds, and for a crew with pretty middling taking pictures percentages, N.C. State’s incapacity to create additional possibilities could possibly be an issue.
In This Tournament: Outside taking pictures was huge for the Wolfpack the final two video games. N.C. State went 16 of 35 from 3-point vary in opposition to Texas and Stanford. The Wolfpack, nevertheless, had solely 4 offensive rebounds in opposition to the Longhorns, six in opposition to Stanford and three within the second round in opposition to Tennessee.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
