NCAA Women's Basketball Bracket 2015: Championship Odds Ahead of Final Four
The Final Four bracket is officially set for the women's NCAA tournament, and it has a very familiar look. Notre Dame, Maryland and UConn have all returned to the big stage following huge wins, with all three looking to claim the national title.
South Carolina is the only non-repeat program in the Final Four, but the SEC champions have been tested all year and have just two losses. Dawn Staley has the Gamecocks surging heading into their first NCAA Final Four.
This marks just the third year ever that all four No. 1 seeds won their regions. Accomplished only in 1989 and 2012, having all four top seeds means the bracket is still wide-open. It will also likely make for an enticing set of semifinals on Sunday.
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Before the games tip, let's take a look at the predicted championship odds and breakdown of the Final Four.
| Connecticut | 1-1 |
| Notre Dame | 4-1 |
| South Carolina | 8-1 |
| Maryland | 10-1 |
Full bracket can be found atย NCAA.com.
Matchup to Watch: Notre Dame vs. South Carolina
Let's call it a battle of the Final Four staple against the newest addition. Notre Dame is entering its fifth straight Final Four and facing a South Carolina team that is playing its first in program history.
Dawn Staley has her Gamecocks ready for any challenge, but the Irish are a completely different animal in March. Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated passes along his thoughts on Muffet McGraw's career with Notre Dame:
This year's class is led by Jewell Loyd, a junior who leads the team in points (19.9) and minutes (31.6) per game this season. Loyd, along with freshman Brianna Turner, have ignited the Irish this season and led them to another Final Four appearance.
On the other side stands Tiffany Mitchell, a two-time SEC Player of the Year who has blistered every opponent this season. A staple on the stat sheet for South Carolina, Staley said she can't have her on the court enough, via Avery Wilks of Rivals.com:
Mitchell has thrived all year, pacing the Gamecocks with 14.5 points and nearly three assists per game. That all comes with 65 total steals and 3.1 rebounds per game. Suffice to say, she's one of the most complete players in the country.
The junior is a leader on the court mostly due to the confidence Staley has in her. She referenced just that prior to the Final Four appearance, via David Cloninger ofย The State:
The battle between Mitchell and Loyd alone will be worth the price of admission. In a game of two powerhouse programs this season, this Final Four matchup will no doubt be the most riveting with McGraw and Staley attempting to outduel one another.
That is what the Final Four is all about. That is what women's college basketball is all about.
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