ESPN pundits break down South Carolina WBB’s Final Four matchup, title odds
South Carolina women’s basketball is playing in its fifth straight Final Four this week.
The No. 1 seeded Gamecocks (34-3) will play fellow 1-seed Texas (35-3) at 7 p.m. Friday for the fourth time this season, this time with a spot in the national title game on the line.
ESPN’s TV analysts shared their thoughts on South Carolina’s path to defending its national title with The State on Thursday ahead of the Gamecocks’ game.
Expectations for South Carolina-Texas, Round 4
The consensus among ESPN’s analysts is that South Carolina’s Final Four matchup with Texas is going to, yet again, be a heavyweight bout.
“That’s what I think of heavy: haymakers, throwing punches — not literally — but just think of the most competitive event you’re going to see,” ESPN’s Andraya Carter told The State. “So competitive, so tough, physical, high speed, chip on your shoulder. There’s so much talent on the floor, and these coaches know each other, these teams know each other, the familiarity. So to me, it’s going to be fun. It might be first to 50 because these teams know each other so well.”
ESPN play-by-play broadcaster Ryan Ruocco said that when he spoke with both teams, Texas is expecting a “blood bath” and South Carolina is expecting a “rock fight.”
“I think that’s what you get (with familiarity),” Ruocco said. “You get a physical game. ... I feel like that’s kind of what you would expect, just a tight game that’s hard to get separation.”
Hall of Famer and ESPN analyst Carolyn Peck said the familiarity South Carolina and Texas have with one another at this point adds an extra emotion to the game.
“I think that familiarity helps because you’ve seen a move, a counter move, and then another counter move,” Peck said. “But I think what adds to it is a level of emotion. South Carolina won the coin flip and then South Carolina won the (SEC Tournament) championship game. As a coach, I’m always worried about a team I’ve beat. Are they hungrier than my team is? That’s where I think that, because South Carolina leads the series 2-1, I think there’s a little extra motivation for Texas.”
ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike said that even after four matchups, there are still question marks surrounding both teams. Specifically: Will any individual players step up and have a big game?
“When you play a team four times, that’s when the real hoopers emerge,” Ogwumike said. “Which player for South Carolina is going to emerge to help them win? We know (Texas’) Maddie Booker is great, but they’ve had success in trying to slow her down. I think it’s gonna be fun to see, can Maddie, who’s a super sophomore, take over? Or who from South Carolina is gonna make this moment? If it’s MiLaysia (Fulwiley) or Joyce (Edwards), they’re gonna take this moment of them playing well and carry that over to be like, ‘I’m the best player next year.’ ”
South Carolina’s chances for a national title
UConn might be the betting favorite to win a championship right now (-180 odds, per ESPN Bet), but South Carolina is still Ogwumike’s pick to bring home a title.
Ogwumike believes USC’s defense will need to continue to be its strength, but also thinks it’s necessary for a star to emerge among the Gamecocks’ loaded roster.
“I feel like the two players I can lean on (are) Chloe Kitts, but she’s not a 25 per game (scorer), and MiLaysia,” Ogwumike said. “MiLaysia is gonna have to be that spark plug. … So if she’s on point, if MiLaysia gives you 20, they’re not (gonna lose) and she’s capable. It’s hard to guard her.”
Carter thinks South Carolina needs to “dictate” on the defensive end while also finding more of a rhythm on offense if it wants to win back-to-back national titles, something the Gamecocks weren’t able to do earlier this season against UConn.
“I felt like UConn did whatever they wanted to and they were running their offense. They were a step ahead and it felt like South Carolina was always trying to catch up,” Carter said. “There’s so much talent, so you have to figure out who has the hot hand, but there has to be a more aggressive attack in finding that out offensively.”
Even though UConn is the favorite, Peck said there’s no guarantee South Carolina and the Huskies make the title game. She quipped that UCLA, UConn’s Final Four opponent, reminds her of South Carolina’s national title team from last year.
“I think that regardless of who South Carolina plays, South Carolina doesn’t need to beat themselves,” Peck said. “And they can do that if they get out of character offensively. That’s the one thing that I have seen from South Carolina this year, is they’ve had the ability to be consistently inconsistent. And the inconsistency comes when they don’t trust their offense.”
Ruocco believes South Carolina’s chances to win its fourth national title are “still good.”
“When they play at their best, when they play a great game, they’re as good as anyone in the country,” Ruocco said. “So I think even though it’s maybe been a little less frequent than it has been in years past, where they’re playing that A-game, I think it’s still in there. And if they play it, I think they can beat anyone. They still have nine players who are incredible athletes, who are capable of winning a game for you. And no other team in the country has that.”
This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 1:00 PM.
