NCAA Women's Basketball Bracket 2019: Championship Odds for Final Four
Three of the most consistent women's basketball programs in the nation and a newcomer to the sport's biggest stage advanced to the 2019 Women's Final Four.
UConn is back at the Final Four, which takes place in Tampa this year, for the 12th consecutive season, but the Huskies haven't won a title since 2016.
Notre Dame is making its second straight trip to Final Four, as it looks to conjure up the same late-game magic it used to win the 2018 title.
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Baylor is back at the Final Four for the first time since it won the championship in 2012, while Oregon is making its first-ever appearance.
2019 Women's Final Four Schedule
Friday, April 5
No. 1 Baylor (-4.5) vs. No. 2 Oregon (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
No. 1 Notre Dame (-2.5) vs. No. 2 UConn (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Odds obtained from 5Dimes.
UConn, Notre Dame Renew Rivalry in Tampa
The marquee game of the women's Final Four is the second one on the schedule, as old rivals UConn and Notre Dame face off for the 50th time.
Although UConn has a significant edge in the rivalry, Notre Dame has had the Huskies' number in the NCAA tournament.
According to ESPN Stats and Info, Notre Dame is the only school to beat UConn more than twice in the NCAA tournament:
Muffet McGraw's Fighting Irish are the favored team as the defending champion, and they have a pair of guards in Arike Ogunbowale and Jackie Young that wreak havoc on any opposing defense.
Expect to hear a lot from Notre Dame's guards as they get to the basket in a hurry to spearhead the nation's top scoring offense.
The Fighting Irish are averaging 88.5 points per game in the NCAA tournament, and they only gave up 80 points once.
However, UConn possesses a similar explosiveness on offense, as it comes into Tampa with the fourth-best scoring offense in Division 1.
The Huskies reached the 80-point mark in three of their four tournament games, with the lone exception being the Sweet 16 win over UCLA.
Katie Lou Samuelson is the key on offense for UConn, as she comes into Tampa off a 29-point performance against Louisville.
But if Samuelson struggles as she did against UCLA, and the Huskies can't keep pace with Notre Dame, the Fighting Irish will get to defend their title in Sunday's national championship.
Ionescu Gets Opportunity to Shine on Final Four Stage
Triple-double machine Sabrina Ionescu gets her chance to shine on the sport's biggest stage Friday night, as she leads the Oregon Ducks into a semifinal matchup against Baylor.
Ionescu was one of the main reasons why the Ducks got past perennial power Mississippi State in the Elite Eight, as she produced 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
In order for the Ducks to upset Baylor in Friday's opener, Ionescu once again has to be at her best, as she has been all season.
Ionescu has a triple-double and a double-double so far in the NCAA tournament, and it wouldn't be a surprise if she takes her game to another level with a standout performance against the top-seeded Bears.
The key for Oregon is to stay close with Baylor, who has blown out each of its four opponents in the Big Dance.
Since the Bears come into Friday with most of the pressure on their shoulders, Ionescu and the Ducks should be able to play free and challenge Kim Mulkey's team on every possession.
Ionescu will be in the spotlight, but she isn't the only Oregon player capable of doing damage on offense, as Ruthy Hebard and Satou Sabally have been key contributors throughout the tournament.
If Oregon puts the pressure on Baylor from the start, it could be able to spring an upset and become the first Pac-12 team since Stanford in 2010 to make the national championship.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
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