Ranking the Women's March Madness Final Four Teams

South Carolina remains the overwhelming favorite to win a second consecutive national title, while UConn moved up two spots to third in this week's AP poll after their overtime thriller win against Stanford on Sunday.

The women's tournament is being dubbed "March Madness," just like its male counterpart. There are 68 teams selected and the First Four games began Wednesday afternoon.

1. South Carolina

The Gamecocks are the top team in the country and a dominant defensive force throughout the tournament. Led by National Player of the Year candidate Aliyah Boston - who is set to become only the second player in NCAA history to earn four SEC Defensive Players of the Year awards - they boast an impressive roster.

The defense has been the key factor in South Carolina's 31 games won by at least 16 points and their defense ranks third nationally; opponents have only scored 45.5 points against them this season. Furthermore, their offense has been strong this season with an average of 70.9 points scored per contest.

They aren't without some weaknesses, though. Their offense was shut down in a 49-33 loss to Miami and their shooting isn't as consistent as it has been this season. Still, they possess some talented individuals who can create their own shot.

Their guards, such as Zia Cooke and Destanni Henderson, are formidable forces that can break down any type of defense. The Gamecocks' versatile and experienced lineup allows them to play different styles against different opponents - which will be crucial in the tournament.

Staley is one of the most successful women's basketball coaches in America, boasting two WNBA championships and three NCAA titles.

She has won 10 straight SEC titles and boasts an impressive record of reaching the Final Four. In fact, she's won four out of the last five SEC championship games and been a victor in each of her past three seasons as head coach.

This season, the Gamecocks have won a lot of close games and demonstrated they can beat teams with different styles. That makes them an attractive pick to win their region which features two ranked teams and could feature a rematch of their regular-season matchups against Maryland and UCLA.

At the end of the day, they'll need to play the winners of Michigan-Louisville region in order to advance to Minneapolis for the Final Four. That should be an exciting and captivating matchup if Louisville prevails.

2. Iowa

Iowa has never made it to a Final Four before, but that could change if the Hawkeyes can survive their opening two games of March. With an opportunity to win the Big Ten Tournament title and reach Minneapolis for a third consecutive year, they must improve defensively from this season's performance.

Last week, Iowa moved up nine spots to 12 in the AP poll after winning a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship with victories over then-No. 10 Indiana, Rutgers and Michigan. This marked their first league crown since 2008!

Iowa still faces significant issues on defense this season. They've allowed an incredible 73.5 points per 100 possessions this season - a huge concern given Caitlin Clark (26.8 ppg) and Monika Czinano (17.6 ppg).

Clark, named the WNBA's Most Valuable Player, is one of college basketball's most dynamic offensive players. She boasts one of the highest offensive win shares on her team with an usage rate close to 40% when on the floor.

She's the highest-ranked player in the nation when it comes to assists, yet her teammates aren't providing her with enough support to maintain a successful run.

Hawkeyes must find a way to balance their scoring and bench presence if they want to remain unbeatable in the Final Four. That is why they need to improve their shooting percentages and defensive strategies.

They must also find a way to protect the ball, which has been an issue this season. Iowa usually loses games when they don't control the boards during possession.

Iowa's best scenario is that they can take down second-ranked Duke in their opener and then beat Texas or Stanford in the Sweet 16. Additionally, they could potentially play Southeastern Louisiana in their second game for a chance at reaching the Final Four.

3. LSU

The Tigers began the season with great potential and quickly rose into the AP Poll after their first-ranked win against Iowa State on national television. They then rode an 11-game win streak into conference play to open SEC play with victories over Georgia and Texas A&M before capping off with a road win at Tennessee to cap off an incredible regular season.

South Carolina presented LSU with a difficult challenge on Saturday afternoon, as they raced out to an early 15-14 lead but then fell behind by as many as 14 points in the second. But LSU battled back to take a 6-point advantage at halftime and kept South Carolina at bay throughout the remainder of the third quarter.

LSU remains one of the favorites to make it to this year's women's Final Four, despite their loss. The Tigers have earned that status due to their impressive team play and consistent presence in the top 16 of the AP poll for several years now.

LSU, the flagship institution of the Louisiana State University System, boasts nearly 26,000 undergraduate and 5,000 graduate students across 14 schools and colleges. It has several academic departments that have earned national recognition.

This is LSU's first trip to the women's Final Four since 2008. They will face off against Iowa State, who finished fifth in the SEC and was picked by the committee to reach the Elite Eight.

Kim Mulkey has led the Tigers to 23 victories this season, helping them achieve their highest ranking in 13 years. A three-time national champion at Baylor, she has made an immediate impact in Baton Rouge.

She and her staff have recruited nine new faces through the transfer portal and high school signees to retool the roster. Furthermore, they brought in a veteran leadership group with two All-Americans and two SEC Players of the Week, all from outside institutions.

She has also been able to improve the team's offensive efficiency. This season, they are averaging a school-record 58.8 points per game compared to 53.5 last year; additionally, the Tigers rank in the top 10 of several statistical categories like scoring margin and defensive efficiency.

4. Virginia Tech

As we near the NCAA Tournament, conference tournaments are wrapping up. While most teams are still waiting for their bids, a number of bubble teams are making their way towards the big dance.

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has several teams in contention, including Virginia Tech. Although they remain on the edge, a strong finish to their ACC tournament run this weekend could give them an at-large berth.

Other ACC schools are in the running for an at-large bid, including North Carolina and Virginia. North Carolina and Virginia will square off in the opening round of the ACC Tournament on Friday night, while the winner of Clemson-N.C. State's 10/15 game on Wednesday will advance to quarterfinals against Notre Dame on Thursday evening.

Virginia Tech and Duke are both ranked in the top 20 on their respective rankings, but Virginia Tech sits atop that list. After picking up four victories this past week, the Hokies are just one win away from earning an at-large bid to the Big Dance.

Virginia Tech boasts a strong roster of players who can contribute to this year's tournament. Keve Aluma and Justyn Mutts are both ACC Player of the Year candidates, while Hunter Cattoor is fresh off an incredible performance in last season's NCAA Tournament.

However, this team can be prone to some miscues. Although Virginia Tech did win four straight games to secure its first ACC Tournament title, they were unable to keep up with Texas in the opening round on Friday.

Courtney Ramey missed a late three, but Texas took control of the game with two consecutive threes and never looked back. With seven points remaining in regulation time, Texas held an eight-point advantage.

The Hokies did a commendable job of restricting the Longhorns to just 16 points in the final period, yet were unable to secure victory. Ultimately, Milwaukee fell 81-73 for a loss.

Coach Mike Young's Virginia Tech Hokies have made two trips to the NCAA Tournament in his tenure, and this time they appear poised for another trip. It will be essential that they remain focused and avoid making any costly errors during their ACC tournament run.