The Women's March Madness Final Four round matchups are set, favoring the No. 1 seeds.
The tournament has flown by and though brackets have been busted, there's still a chance to get on the winning side of things.
women's final four picks & odds
Here are the Final Four picks and props that I am riding with.
No. 1 south carolina vs no. 3 nC State
| Team | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | -11.5 (-108) | O139 (-110) | -900 |
| NC State | +11.5 (-112) | U139 (-110) | +600 |
Pick: NC State +11.5
In Final Four odds, this spread is a bit too generous. Dawn Staley, coming off a Naismith Coach Of The Year Award, struts on the court with another undefeated group. But, let's put some respect on NC State.
Winning each meeting by 10 points, the Wolfpack were forced to defeat No. 2 Stanford and No. 1 Texas en route to the Final Four. Junior Aziaha James drained 29 points against Stanford and went 7-for-9 (77.8%) on her three-pointers against Texas. Meanwhile, the Gamecocks are 14-15 ATS when being favored by 11.5 points or more this year.
South Carolina has unbelievable depth, with six ladies averaging nine points or more this season. At 6-foot-7, Kamilla Cardoso is a feat to shutdown. The senior leads her team with 14.1 points and 9.4 rebounds.
Big time sequence from Kamilla Cardoso! pic.twitter.com/XlfjUtndB4
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) March 31, 2024
She was double-teamed in the nail-biting 79-75 win against Indiana in the Sweet Sixteen. Yet, still managed to drop 22 points.
Regardless, I still think intensity should keep the scoreboard closer than the odds suggest.
No. 1 iowa vs No. 3 uConn
| Team | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | -2.5 (-115) | O162 (-110) | -148 |
| UConn | +2.5 (-105) | U162 (-110) | +124 |
Pick: Iowa -2.5 (-115)
The nation's best offense meets the top defense tonight. Caitlin Clark is largely responsible for the Hawkeyes averaging 91.9 PPG. While the senior is bound to shine, coming off a 41-point night against LSU, the teammates surrounding her elevate their game too.
At 6-foot-2, Hannah Stuelke uses her speed to anticipate passes and attack the glass. She has averaged double-digit rebounds twice this tournament. Meanwhile, Kate Martin is another strong shooter if Clark is being covered. The senior also had a noticeable 21-point night against the Tigers.
KATE MARTIN BURIES A TRIPLE AND COLORADO CALLS TIMEOUT pic.twitter.com/PI5jOvckAa
— SuperHawkeyeFan (@superhawkeyefan) March 30, 2024
Plenty of credit belongs to the duo of Paige Bueckers (22 PPG) and Aaliyah Edwards (17.6 PPG). But, Clark is just too focused right now. Her fairytale story isn't ending tonight.
best women's final four props & odds
| Prop | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kamilla Cardoso OVER 9.5 Rebounds | -105 |
| Aziaha James OVER 18.5 Points | -120 |
| Caitlin Clark UNDER 33.5 Points | -105 |
| Caitlin Clark OVER 10.5 Assists | +100 |
Don't fall into the betting scheme of these inflated Caitlin Clark lines. She isn't shy to drop insane numbers, but she averaged 32 PPG this season and has only hit OVER 33 points once this tournament.
