No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show
Episode: Why this Repeat of the Final Four Will Be Different
Date: March 31, 2026
Hosts: Zena Keita and Chantel Jennings

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the 2026 Women’s NCAA Final Four, which, in a rare twist, repeats last year's field: UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina. Zena Keita and Chantel Jennings break down not just why these familiar teams are back, but how their journeys, rosters, and styles have grown—promising a very different set of matchups this time around. The hosts dissect each Elite Eight game, analyze key adjustments, highlight player developments, and preview the strategy chess matches ahead, all while keeping the discussion grounded in the personalities and narratives driving the sport.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Texas vs. Michigan: Experience Triumphs, Depth Shines

(02:18-15:25)

• Dominance starts early: Texas overwhelmed Michigan, 77-41, but early moments were briefly competitive.
• Game flow: “If you watched the first two plays of that game, you might have been like, oh, this is going to be competitive. And then all of a sudden, Texas made 11 of 12 field goal attempts to start the game. And it was just nearly... suffocating.” – Zena Kada (06:36)
• Michigan’s struggles: Hosts detail how Michigan’s inexperience led to 15 turnovers and only 23% shooting, missing their typical three-point output (2 of 15).
• Veteran guard play matters: “To have veteran guard play deep in March is so important. And Michigan has phenomenal guard play, but they’re sophomores.” – Chantel Jennings (07:41)
• Key moment: The discussion highlights an emotional scene as hometown senior Sarah Graves checks in and scores, with the whole arena (and teammate Madison Booker) celebrating her, demonstrating the team’s close-knit culture.
  • “Honestly, the best part of that is just how hype Madison Booker was for her, like on the sideline. No one was more excited in the arena than Madison Booker.” – Chantel Jennings (13:07)
• Texas’ depth: Even when star players struggled, the team had answers everywhere. “That’s how good this Texas team is and how they’ve reloaded in a way, even though they did lose three starters.” – Chantel Jennings (13:11)
• Leadership flip: Vic Schaefer, who called his team heartless weeks ago, now calls this their best basketball. The players, especially Rory Harmon, have stepped up as vocal and veteran leaders.

2. UCLA vs. Duke: Veterans Weather the Storm

(16:58-24:31)

• Scoreboard deception: UCLA’s 70-58 win over Duke looked comfortable, but the first half was fierce, with Duke forcing 12 turnovers and dominating the boards.
• Adjustment at halftime: “Third quarters as being such an important teams, because that is sort of the immediate response.” – Chantel Jennings (18:33)
• Lauren Betts’ dominance: Betts took control after halftime, sparking a 20-8 third quarter run.
• Angela Dugalic’s X-factor: Off the bench, Dugalic (15 pts, 30 min) provided steadiness and energy, allowing UCLA to right the ship midgame. “She feels like such an important piece of how this team got to the Final Four even though she hasn’t been a starter for them.” – Chantel Jennings (22:06)
• Veteran poise: “This is the key to what UCLA has in terms of advantages against pretty much everyone else in this tournament: veteranship.” – Zena Kada (23:18)
• Strategic preview: UCLA faces Texas next in a rematch of their only loss (from November); both teams have improved since, and the matchup of veteran guards—Kiki Rice vs. Rory Harmon—will be pivotal. “I picked UCLA to win because I do think there’s going to be a motivating factor of this is their one loss they had on the year.” – Chantel Jennings (24:31)

3. UConn vs. Notre Dame: Too Many Weapons

(31:44-41:10)

• Notre Dame’s defensive plan: ND effectively limited UConn superstars Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd early, but UConn’s roster depth proved insurmountable.
• The role of depth: “What Notre Dame did really, really well…they really got into Sarah Strong so that she wasn’t able to do what she wanted to do. They really got into AZ Fudd…But that’s the problem with UConn is that they have so many different weapons.” – Chantel Jennings (32:34)
• Blanca Quinones’ emergence: Former pro in Italy, Quinones came up big, scoring 12 early points and relentlessly attacking. “It was Blanca Quinones that felt unstoppable, like she was getting into the paint. She might not know exactly where she's going, but she's gonna find a way.” – Zena Kada (36:07)
• Notre Dame’s lack of depth: Missing Olivia Miles, ND relied heavily on Hannah Hidalgo, who dazzled (202 steals on the season!), but couldn’t carry the offense alone.
• Fun player comparison: “Stephen Curry is very similar...when he's feeling it, he's gonna do the dances, he's gonna do the little gestures. And so that's what I love about Hannah's game…” – Zena Kada (41:10)

4. South Carolina vs. TCU: Whack-a-Mole Offense, Relentless Size

(43:03-46:21)

• SC’s depth of options: Multiple bench players and freshmen like Agat McKerr step up—“It was a whack a mole. At one point you’re like, okay, I got Makir. Holy crap. If you didn’t know Agat McKir, she let you know in this game.” – Zena Kada (43:04)
• TCU’s offensive limitation: With all offense funneled through just two (Marta Suarez, Olivia Miles), SC simply neutralized Suarez (9 pts) and ran away with it.
• Injury note: Miles suffered a late-game calf injury, but the game was out of reach.
• Threes from the bench: Tessa Johnson’s off-the-bench sharpshooting (three threes in a row) was a killer run.

5. Big Picture: Why This Final Four Will Be Different

(49:06-54:08)

• Coaching chess match: Both semifinals pit genius coaches with elite, multi-option rosters against each other.
• Better teams than last year: “All four of these teams are better. And the way that those Final Four games ended last year, neither one being very competitive in the second half—I do not see that happening.” – Chantel Jennings (51:56)
• Revenge and rematch: UCLA gets a chance at vengeance for their only loss, UConn and South Carolina replay last year’s title game (81-59 UConn) with Staley chasing redemption.
• Sophomore surge: “This sophomore class as a whole is just so good…I think on the right side of the bracket, you’ve got these veteran led teams…” – Chantel Jennings (53:27)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Texas’ win over Michigan:
  “They shot 23% from the floor. 2 of 15 from 3…that's not gonna work.” – Zena Kada (09:51)
  “To have veteran guard play deep in March is so important.” – Chantel Jennings (07:41)

• On team culture:
  “Honestly, the best part of that is just how hype Madison Booker was for her, like on the sideline. No one was more excited in the arena than Madison Booker. Like, she's about to jump out of her seat for her friend. Those are the moments. That's really, really cool.” – Chantel Jennings (13:07–13:11)

• On UCLA’s resilience:
  “This is the key to what UCLA has in terms of advantages against pretty much everyone else in this tournament: veteranship. Folks that have been there before, people that can respond to the moment.” – Zena Kada (23:18)

• On Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo:
  “She will rip your heart out from your chest and then hold it in front of you and be like, do you want this back? No, I’m gonna take it down the court and I’m gonna put it in the basket.” – Zena Kada (41:10)

• On the Final Four repeat:
  “...this is the best possible product of basketball that we're going to see on the floor. These matchups, how we're going to see these break down, the fact that all of these teams are somehow better…All four of these teams are better.” – Chantel Jennings (51:56)

Key Matchup Previews and What to Watch

• Texas vs. UCLA: Can Texas’ defense again disrupt UCLA’s veterans? Will Jordan Lee rebound from a bad game? Watch Rory Harmon vs. Kiki Rice.
• South Carolina vs. UConn: Each side boasts weapons beyond their stars. Can SC’s size and bench hold up against UConn’s relentless multi-pronged attack? Look for coaching adjustments and in-game counters.

Final Thoughts

Both hosts agree: while the names are familiar, the playing fields and stakes are utterly different this year. Veteran teams have grown, star sophomores have exploded, and the tactical firepower on display ensures that these will be nail-biting, dramatic games full of storylines for fans new and old alike.

Next up:

• Final Four coverage from Phoenix
• WNBA expansion draft talk (Comets move from Connecticut to Houston!)
• McDonald’s All-American Game shout-out (Ari Chambers hosting; watch for future stars)

Don’t miss the livestreams and further analysis later in the week.