IN PHOTOS: Final four NCAAW stars hype up March Madness mood with ESPN photoshoot ft. Caitlin Clark
The Final Four for the NCAA Women's March Madness is set. In the first match, South Carolina takes on NC State, while the second game is a battle between Iowa Hawkeyes and UConn.
To promote the tournament and its matches, ESPN did a photo shoot with stars from each team. For South Carolina, it was Kamilla Cardoso, whose play has been critical to their undefeated record, while NC State saw star Aziaha James grace the covers.
The star-studded field was rounded off by Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark for the Iowa - UConn matchup.
What time does the Final Four of NCAAW March Madness tip-off?
The proceedings from the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio kicks off with the battle between the two Carolina teams. The undefeated 36-0 South Carolina, led by Kamilla Cardoso, takes on the 31-6 NC State with the game tipping off at 7 p.m. ET.
30 minutes following the conclusion of the Carolina encounters, the second match pits the two most outstanding players, Caitlin Clark and Paige Buckets.
All matches are available on ESPN and can also be streamed using Sling TV.
The story for the teams so far in the NCAAW Tournament
South Carolina has continued its juggernaut run in the NCAA Tournament as well. With just 1 loss in the past 2 years, that coming against Caitlin Clark, their dominance was on full display in the First Round when they won by an unbelievable 91-39 score against Presbyterian.
In the second round, in another Carolina derby, they faced off against North Carolina, dispatching them with equal ease, to the tune of 88-41. The Sweet 16 round saw them in their closest matchup yet, in a nail-biting finish against Indiana, where they won 79-75.
Their Elite Eight matchup was far more one-sided, as they won 70-58 against Oregon State. For SC, Kamilla Cardoso has been the name to watch out for, as she averages 14.1 points, and 9.4 rebounds while adding 2.4 blocks each night.
NC State's journey has been far more competitive in the NCAA Tournament, Led by Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers, averaging 16.7 points and 12.7 points, respectively, they dominated their first-round matchup against Chattanooga, winning 64-45.
The second round, against a Tennessee squad, saw a far closer encounter, as NC State won 79-72. Their Sweet 16 and Elite 8 matchups against Stanford and Texas, respectively, played out relatively similarly, with NC State pulling off the upset victory in both encounters.
After dispatching Stanford 77-67, they continued their Cinderella run with a 76-66 victory over No. 1 seed Texas to make it to the Final Four. With a 4-0 record against top-five ranked teams, NC State is looking to pull off one more upset.
In the second matchup, Iowa is coming in off an emotional victory, as they avenged last year's Championship loss to the LSU Tigers, beating them 94-87, thanks to a 41-point, 12-assist effort from Caitlin Clark. For the year, she is averaging 31.7 points and 8.9 assists.
The rest of the tournament has been dominant for the Hawkeyes, beating Holy Cross 91-65, before West Virginia game them a relative fight, losing 64-54 in the second round. The Sweet 16 round saw them face off against Colorado and once again dominate en route to a 89-68 victory.
Their opponents, UConn, boasting National Player of the Year candidate in Paige Bueckers, had a similar path to Iowa. A dominant first-round victory over Jackson State, 86-64, started off proceedings.
The second round matchup against Syracuse was a far closer affair, as UConn pulled away with a 72-64 victory. With six players down, the Huskies have relied heavily on Paige Bueckers, averaging 21.9 points on unreal 53.6 and 41.5% from 3.
Their Sweet 16 matchup was a low-scoring affair as they pulled off a victory against Duke, 54-35 before marching on against USC in a highly-anticipated Elite 8 matchup against JuJu Watkins and Co.
Bueckers' second-half rally turned the tide for UConn, who eventually won 80-73 to move on to face the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Who do you think walks out the winner from the Final Four? Let us know in the comments below.