10 facts about the NCAA Women’s Final Four
Before the Final Four gets started, here is a rundown of the tournament and how it got to where it is today:
The NCAA women’s basketball tournament began during the 1981- 1982 season, but for the first time the Final Four will be hosted in Dallas at the American Airlines Center. This will be the fifth time it will be held in Texas, the most by any state. Austin hosted in 1985 and 1987, and San Antonio hosted in 2002 and 2010.
The Final Four will be played on a Friday/ Sunday schedule, which it was from 1982- 1990 and again from 1996- 2002. From 2002- 2016, the Final Four was played on a Sunday/ Tuesday schedule.
For the third year in a row, the Final Four includes a first- time participant in Mississippi State. Last year Syracuse, Oregon State and Washington made their debuts in Indianapolis.
South Carolina is making a second Final Four appearance in three years after its debut in 2015. The Gamecocks become the 10th school to make the men’s and women’s Final Four in the same year, with the men capturing its first trip with a 77- 70 victory over Florida on Sunday. The feat has happened 13 times with Connecticut accomplishing it four times, including both championships in 2014.
Former Connecticut standout Breanna Stewart was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player the past four years. In 35 seasons of the women’s basketball tournament, a Huskies player has won the award 11 times while Tennessee is next with seven. Stanford has won it twice.
The first women’s basketball tournament was won by Louisiana Tech in 1982. A total of 32 teams made up the field with the Final Four at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Tennessee, Maryland and Cheyney ( Penn.) University were the other schools involved. Louisian Tech defeated Cheyney 76- 62 and Janice Lawrence was Most Valuable Player. Her teammate, Baylor
head coach Kim Mulkey was named to the all- tournament team.
From 1972- 1982, national tournaments for Division I schools were under the direction of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women ( AIAW). Immaculata University in Pennsylvania won the first three titles and Delta ( Miss.) State won the next three. Old Dominion ( twice), UCLA, Louisiana Tech and Rutgers were other champions.
Connecticut has won the most titles with 11, all since 1995. The Huskies are making their 10th- consecutive Final Four appearance and 18th overall. With a 90- 52 victory over Oregon on Monday, Auriemma earned his 113th victory in the NCAA Tournament, moving him past former Tennessee coach Pat Summitt for most all- time.
Only five coaches have won multiple NCAA championships: Auriemma with 11, Summitt with eight and Kim Mulkey with two. Southern California’s Linda Sharp and Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer have also won twice.
Since 1982, at least one No. 1 seed has made the Final Four. Connecticut and South Carolina are No. 1 seeds, and Stanford and Mississippi State are No. 2 seeds. Connecticut has been a No. 1 seed a record 22 times. The championship game has matched up two No. 1 seeds 12 times, including four times since 2010.
— The Associated Press