Women’s Final Four stars take center stage in Phoenix

PHOENIX – As the NCAA women’s basketball tournament reaches its final stage in Phoenix, the spotlight will shine brightly on the stars who carried their teams to this point.

This year’s Final Four isn’t just about storied programs, four No. 1 seeds or Hall of Fame coaches. It’s highlighted by player-driven dominance, a group fans haven’t seen the likes of in a long time.

Each No. 1 seed arrives with standout talent capable of taking over the game on the sport’s biggest stage. Here’s a look at five of them.

Lauren Betts: senior center, UCLA

The Bruins are led by one of the most dominant post players in the country in two-time All-American Lauren Betts. The 6-foot-7 center physically imposed her will on opposing teams all year and averaged 17.2 points and 8.6 rebounds during the season. She has taken her game to new heights in the tournament, averaging 24 points, 8.5 rebounds and three blocks per game.

Beyond the numbers, Betts’ presence dictates the pace of the game. Opposing teams are forced to adjust their entire offensive approach, often settling for perimeter shots rather than challenging her inside.

Betts’ ability to finish through contact, alter shots at the rim and control the defensive glass has made UCLA a difficult matchup for every opponent it has faced and has powered the Bruins past Cal Baptist, Oklahoma State, Minnesota and Duke, making her one of the most impactful players left in the field.

She discussed the mental health issues she has battled throughout her life, and recently wrote about on The Players’ Tribune.

“I was put on this earth to do more than just play basketball,“ Betts said. “Like I think the journey that I’ve had and the hardships I’ve went through are to help other people. I feel like I’ve been given this opportunity to help so many little girls who maybe don’t have a lot of people to look up to who look like me. 

“So, I think for all the younger, specifically tall girls who deal with a lot of the same stuff as I do, I think it’s just really special that they can feel seen and heard and that they’re not alone in this and regardless of what other people make you out to be or how you feel about yourself in (a) certain point in your life that you’re still special and you matter and there’s so many people out there that love you.”

Betts managed just eight points and seven rebounds in UCLA’s 76-65 loss to Texas earlier this season on Nov. 26. It will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments she makes on Friday.

Sarah Strong: sophomore forward, UConn

UConn brings perhaps the most dangerous combination of star power, led by this year’s national player of the year, Sarah Strong. The sophomore forward has been the engine behind the Huskies’ perfect 38-0 record. Strong is averaging 18.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, and has elevated her production in the tournament with 19.5 points per contest. 

Her versatility allows her to impact the game from anywhere on the floor, whether attacking the basket, facilitating the offense or controlling the boards. The AP voters thought that Strong was the best player in the country this year. Now she has a chance to show it on the national stage in Phoenix.

She also shares a special bond with senior guard Azzi Fudd, who is taking the floor for possibly the last time in a college uniform on Friday. Beyond their production, the connection between the two has been a key part of UConn’s success.

“Playing with Azzi has been great,” Strong said at a news conference Thursday afternoon. “Just very different from last year. I think this year I’ve gotten a lot closer on and off the court. I’ve just learned a lot from her like from taking care of your body like nutrition. She eats all that healthy stuff. I’m really gonna miss playing with her. No one’s gonna be able to come off a handoff and shoot it like she will so I’m gonna miss that.”

Azzi Fudd: senior guard, UConn

Alongside Strong on the wing is Fudd, a proven scorer with championship experience. Fudd is averaging 17.5 points this season to go with absolutely lights-out shooting of 45.5% from 3-point range and 95.5% from the free throw line. She has continued to produce in March, adding 16 points, four assists and three steals per game in the tournament.

Being a fifth-year senior, Fudd will be out of college eligibility once the Huskies’ season ends. She was very candid when asked about this being her last ride.

“I’m kind of in denial thinking about how this is my last weekend,” Fudd said. “I know, but I haven’t really accepted that yet, so I’m trying to just enjoy every single moment. This is our last time being roommates, our last trip, just all that kind of stuff. I’m trying not to think about that. These are my sisters forever.”

Fudd’s path to this stage has been far from linear.

The former No. 1 recruit in the 2021 class has battled multiple major injuries throughout her career. Fudd tore both her ACL and MCL in 2019 as a high schooler and later dealt with swelling in that same knee. Injuries continued to follow her at the college level, as she missed 11 games as a freshman due to a foot injury and 22 games during the 2022-23 season after suffering a knee injury.

She briefly returned that season before re-aggravating the injury, forcing her to miss additional time. Then, early in the 2023-24 season, Fudd suffered another major setback, tearing her ACL and medial meniscus in her right knee during a November practice.

Now healthy, Fudd has returned to form at the perfect time, providing UConn with a veteran presence and a consistent scoring threat. Her ability to stretch defenses and deliver in key moments complements Strong’s all-around game, giving the Huskies one of the most balanced and dangerous duos in the Final Four.

Joyce Edwards: sophomore forward, South Carolina

South Carolina is powered by sophomore forward Joyce Edwards, who has emerged as one of the most consistent and efficient players in the country. Edwards averaged 19.7 points and 6.7 rebounds during the season, leading the Gamecocks to a 35-3 record entering Phoenix.

Her impact has grown in the tournament where she is averaging 20.5 points and 9.6 rebounds, while also contributing defensively with over two steals per game. The sophomore is getting better as the lights get brighter and she gets more games under her belt. Edwards’ ability to score in the paint, combined with her physicality on the glass, has made her a centerpiece of South Carolina’s offense.

She has helped lead the Gamecocks past Southern, USC, Oklahoma and TCU, consistently dominating every one of those matchups.

Madison Booker: junior forward, Texas

Texas will try to counter UCLA and any other opponent with one of the most versatile players in the tournament in Madison Booker. The junior forward averaged 19.3 points, 3.8 assists and 2.2 steals this season, impacting the game in a multitude of ways.

Booker has elevated her performance in March, averaging 22.5 points per game, including a 40-point explosion against Oregon in the second round, showing her ceiling is as high as anyone left in the tournament. She has also increased her presence on the glass and defensively, averaging nearly seven rebounds and over two steals per game in the tournament.

Her ability to take over games makes Texas a dangerous contender in Phoenix.

The Longhorns have three wins this year against the other schools in the Final Four. That’s something none of the others can say. As mentioned earlier, Texas beat UCLA 76-65 on Nov. 26, and then took the season series against South Carolina, beating the Gamecocks 66-64 the very next day on Nov. 27, and again, 78-61, on March 8 to win the SEC Tournament championship. 

While stars across the country like Audi Crooks, Hannah Hidalgo, Kymora Johnson and Olivia Miles defined the early rounds of the tournament, the Final Four brings together the game’s most elite talent at the most elite programs that we will see playing at the next level.

Each of these teams has dominated its opponents in the tournament, with every game being decided by double digits. Now the question becomes which one can rise above the rest on the biggest stage. In a bracket built on star power, one team’s stars will shine the brightest.

South Carolina will face UConn Friday at 4 p.m., followed by Texas vs. UCLA at 6:30.

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