The popularity of women's college basketball has never been higher. Monday's LSU vs. Iowa game had insanely high ratings, mainly because of the rematch between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. Both stars lived up to the hype, as Reese netted 17 points to go along with 20 rebounds and Clark led the Hawkeyes with 41 points and 12 assists!
Ready for the NCAA Women's Final Four? If not, we'll help you get prepared in no time flat! In our betting guide, we'll dive into each team and take a look at their current odds to take home the championship.
Caitlin Clark may get most of the hype in women's hoops, but this Lady Gamecocks team is the real deal. Head coach Dawn Staley has led this squad to a perfect 36-0 record so far this season. Though South Carolina is blessed with a whole slew of capable players, none are more important than Kamilla Cardoso.
Cardoso is a 6'7" center from Brazil and she leads the team in points (14.1), rebounds (9.4), and blocks (2.5). She's a big reason why South Carolina is an 11.5-point favorite over NC State on Friday. The game total is currently sitting at 139.5.
Even if Cardoso doesn't dominate the Wolfpack, South Carolina still has two other competent scorers. MiLaysia Fulwiley and Te-Hina Paopao both average in double figures per game from their respective guard positions.
The Hawkeyes got their long-awaited revenge on the LSU Tigers in their Elite 8 clash. The game was tied at the half, but Caitlin Clark simply took the game over in the third quarter. The 6-foot senior made nine 3-pointers in the contest to lead Iowa to a 94-87 victory.
It's easy to see why Clark gets most of the attention, as she's averaging 32 points per game this season. However, don't count out some of her supporting cast members. Hannah Stuelke averages 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds while Kate Martin nets 13.1 points and 6.8 boards per contest.
Iowa will face UConn on Friday night at 9 PM Eastern on ESPN. Oddsmakers expect a close contest, as the Hawkeyes are only favored by 2.5 points. This game could be a shootout, as the total is currently 162.5 at most online sportsbooks.
The state of Connecticut continues to be the mecca of college basketball, as both the men's and women's teams are perennial title contenders. This year's Huskies squad may have 5 losses, but Paige Bueckers (22 ppg) is a force to be reckoned with and she can score on anybody.
Just how deep is this UConn team? Four of their five starters average 11 points per game or higher! Aaliyah Edwards, Ashlynn Shade, and Azzi Fudd all have the ability to go off on any given night.
This high level of depth means that Iowa shouldn't be able to double team Bueckers on a regular basis. That's a big reason why we're betting UConn +2.5 as our best bet for the NCAA Women's Final Four. The best price is -104 right now at FanDuel.
North Carolina State is the long shot on the Women's Final Four betting board. However, this Wolfpack team piled up a record of 31-6 this season, so South Carolina has to bring their A-game on Friday at 7 PM Eastern. Aziaha James leads the squad in scoring, but all 5 starters average 10.4 points per game or better.
The Pack's toughest task will be slowing down South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso. While that's a tall order, NC State senior center River Baldwin is 6'5" and she could possibly contain Cardoso down low on the block. Baldwin leads the team in blocks, as she averages 1.3 per outing.
Can NC State pull off a major shocker by beating South Carolina outright? Probably not, but we're guessing they'll stay within the 11.5-point line. Let's call it a slight lean to NC State at +11.5.