Every top seed has made it to Phoenix, so who will reach Sunday's title game?
By Isabel Gonzalez , Jack Maloney & Lindsay Gibbs Apr 1, 2026 at 3:29 pm ET • 5 min read 
Getty Images The 2026 women's Final Four has arrived. And, just like a lot of people anticipated, all four No. 1 seeds have made it to Phoenix. That leaves us with two highly anticipated matchups on Friday before Sunday's title game. It's UConn vs. South Carolina in a rematch of last year's championship game before UCLA faces Texas on Friday night.
So who do our experts expect to come out on top on Friday and reach the title game? Let's get right to the picks.
UConn vs. South Carolina
Friday, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/fubo -- FanDuel odds: UConn: -6.5
Erica Ayala 
Lindsay Gibbs 
Isabel Gonzalez 
Jack Maloney UConn vs. South Carolina 
UConn UConn UConn UConn Ayala: While this is a better offensive Gamecocks team from last season -- they are averaging eight more points per game -- I'm still going with UConn. Perimeter shooting and versatility on the block with Sarah Strong, Blanca Quiñonez, and Jana El Alfy will put the Huskies over the edge.
Gibbs: I really do believe that this will be a more competitive game than last year's title match that UConn won by 23 points, and I hope that's not just wishful thinking. I've been very impressed with South Carolina this tournament; the Gamecocks bounced back from the drubbing from Texas in the SEC championship and the offense has stayed on point. In last year's NCAA Tournament, only three Gamecocks averaged 10 or more points per game and none averaged more than 11. This year, six players are averaging more than 10 points per game, with three averaging 14 points per game or more. And yet, I'm going with UConn. This is one of the best defensive teams I've ever seen, and the blossoming of Blanca Quiñonez over the last fortnight is giving the Huskies the spark they need when the offense gets stagnant.
Gonzalez: The Huskies were not at their best in Fort Worth and still dominated. This is a very talented team on both sides of the court, and its depth goes well beyond Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd. Although I do think the Gamecocks are a stronger team offensively than they were last season, I don't know if they have enough power to go against UConn -- and to be fair, this is something I would say about pretty much all other teams. TCU threw the first punch in the Elite Eight, and it took until the fourth quarter for the Gamecocks to really pull away. With a team like UConn, South Carolina will have to turn up the intensity earlier in the game.
Maloney: The Huskies have looked completely out of sorts offensively in the last two games -- perhaps due to some weird rims in Fort Worth -- and they still beat North Carolina by 21 and Notre Dame by 18. I expect their offense to look better in Phoenix, but even if it doesn't against a tough and athletic South Carolina team, UConn's defense will carry the day. The Huskies haven't allowed more than 52 points in the tournament, and they've held opponents to 34.7% from the field while forcing an average of 21 turnovers per game.
UCLA vs. Texas
Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/fubo -- FanDuel odds: Texas: -1.5
Erica Ayala Lindsay Gibbs Isabel Gonzalez Jack Maloney UCLA vs. Texas 
UCLA 
Texas Texas UCLA Ayala: While these teams have nearly identical stats, the Bruins have the advantage in perimeter shooting and rebounding -- length overall, really. Not to mention UCLA will be eager to avenge its one loss from earlier this season. Lauren Betts scored eight points in that matchup and got banged up late in the game. The 6-foot-7 senior has only been held to under 10 points two other times this season. I'm not expecting the Final Four to be her fourth. Instead, she will lead the Bruins to the program's first title game in the NCAA era.
Gibbs: I hate changing my picks mid-tournament, and I picked UCLA to win it all in my bracket... so this feels slimy. But I also picked Texas to win it all before the season began, so I'm being true to my former self either way. But after getting a courtside seat to Texas' dominance in the regionals, I simply cannot pick against the Longhorns in this matchup. This is the best offense we've seen from a Vic Schaefer Texas team, and it might be the best defense, too. Madison Booker can always get a shot when needed, Rori Harmon is the ultimate tone-setter; and Jordan Lee is going to be a superstar. Texas defeated UCLA 76-65 when the teams faced off on a neutral court last November, and I predict a similar scoreline on Friday. No team in the Big Ten has a defense like Texas, and UCLA is going to have a hard time adjusting.
Gonzalez: I had Texas in my bracket, and the Longhorns made it easy to feel good about that decision with their performance in Fort Worth. Texas made last year's Final Four even without a very consistent offense, but, this year, there has been a significant improvement in that area. There is also never any doubt about the Longhorns' defense under Vic Schaefer. Texas already beat UCLA once this year, and I think it can happen again. How close the game will be depends on which version of UCLA we get. There is definitely a dangerous version of them, but the Bruins did not look ready to be competitive in a Final Four game during their first half against Duke.
Maloney: Texas has looked absolutely incredible in the tournament, while UCLA has been good, but not great. If you were picking strictly based on tournament form, the Longhorns would be the answer -- especially considering that they won the regular-season matchup between these teams. But I took the Bruins in my bracket, and I'm sticking with them. UCLA, led by Lauren Betts, Kiki Rice and four other future pros, has more overall talent and will be out to avenge its lone loss this season. As long as the Bruins take care of the ball against the Longhorns' pressure, they will win this game.
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