NCAA Women's Basketball Bracket 2019: Predicting Championship Game
Any one of the women's Final Four participants can make a run to the NCAA Division I basketball championship, which will be decided Sunday in Tampa, Florida.
Connecticut is the established dynasty, but the Huskies are hungry for a title after missing out on the championship game in each of the last two years.
Notre Dame enters as the defending champion, but in order to get back to the title game, Arike Ogunbowale and Co. have to get past old rival UConn.
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Baylor's first Final Four appearance since 2012, when it won the title, is the product of a dominant tournament run.
Oregon may be a newcomer to the semifinals, but the Ducks have been in the spotlight for most of the season thanks to the incredible play of triple-double machine Sabrina Ionescu.
2019 Women's Final Four Bracket and Schedule
Friday, April 5
No. 1 Baylor vs. No. 2 Oregon (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 UConn (9 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Championship Game Prediction
Baylor vs. UConn
Baylor's significant advantage in the frontcourt will help it set up a championship date with UConn.
The Bears are the top rebounding team in Division I with 33 defensive rebounds per game, and they also average 15 offensive rebounds per game, which is 29th-best.
Kalani Brown and Lauren Cox are the driving forces for Baylor, as they both average over 12 points and eight rebounds per game.
In addition to the 6'7" Brown in the paint, the Bears have a strong freshmen duo in NaLyssa Smith and Queen Egbo that can dominate the glass as well.
By limiting Oregon to one shot per possession, the Bears will keep Ionescu's scoring output to a minimum.
The same threat in the paint will be a challenge for UConn in the final in the Huskies' first championship game appearance since 2016.
Geno Auriemma's team faces a difficult task guarding Ogunbowale, who ranks 15th in Division I with 21.5 points per game, in their semifinal.
While Notre Dame possesses the top scoring offense in the nation, the Huskies aren't far behind in fourth, making them one of the few programs who can keep up with the pace of the Fighting Irish.
Napheesa Collier isn't far behind Ogunbowale in scoring, as she is 17th in the nation with 21.0 points per game. In addition, the Huskies have a solid collection of guards headlined by Katie Lou Samuelson.
If the Huskies are able to control Friday's second game in the backcourt, they'll go head-to-head with Baylor in a battle of strengths Sunday night.
With UConn's stellar one-two punch of Collier and Samuelson joined by its set of guards going up against Baylor's powerful forwards, the 2019 national championship has a chance to go down as an epic battle.
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