The other kind of Friday night lights

The GIST: Record-setting viewership, stunning starpower, and a whole lot of hoopla later, the women’s March Madness tournament culminates this weekend. First up, tonight’s stacked Final Four lineup on ESPN, with two spots in Sunday’s 3 p.m. ET championship game on ABC on the line.

No. 3 NC State Wolfpack vs. No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks, 7 p.m. ET: Three-peat Naismith Coach of the Year Dawn Staley’s undefeated Gamecocks are back in the Final Four for the fourth straight year — a run characterized by depth and dominance. South Carolina looks downright unstoppable, thanks in large part to standout senior Kamilla Cardoso and her average of 14 points and nine rebounds per game.

• That said, NC State is no stranger to pulling off upsets: They downed No. 2 Stanford and No. 1 Texas to reach their first Final Four since 1998. The Wolfpack player to watch? Sophomore Aziaha James, who dropped a career-high 27 points in the Elite Eight.

No. 3 UConn Huskies vs. No. 1 Iowa Hawkeyes, 9:30 p.m. ET: Huskies superstar Paige Bueckers vs. back-to-back Naismith Player of the Year Caitlin Clark — need we say more? Rallied by yet another historic Clark performance, the Hawkeyes avenged last year’s title-game loss to No. 3 LSU to reach their second straight and just third-ever Final Four.

• UConn, meanwhile, overcame a myriad of injuries to make a surprising and unlikely Final Four appearance. Their short bench could pose a problem, especially if they get into foul trouble, but the dynamic duo of Bueckers and Canadian Aaliyah Edwards have persevered before.

• The Huskies also have the edge on defense, but what can you even do to guard Clark? One thing’s for sure: The women’s game will be shining bright under those Friday night lights.

The GIST: The men’s Final Four start their semifinal dance tomorrow on TBS, and both blockbuster matchups feature powerhouse programs vs. scrappy underdogs. Will the cream rise to the top, or can the Cinderellas keep the ball rolling all the way to Monday’s title game?

No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers vs. No. 11 NC State Wolfpack, 6:09 p.m. ET: NC State’s improbable run began with their shocking ACC tournament win, and they’ll need all that momentum against their toughest postseason challenge yet. Between Purdue’s Zach Edey — the likely back-to-back Player of the Year — and NC State’s breakout star, DJ Burns Jr., this will be a big-man battle for the ages.

• Edey’s unparalleled ability to draw fouls will likely be a deciding factor: If Burns gets into foul trouble, the Wolfpack could lack answers for Edey’s 7-foot-4 frame. But if Burns can play clean, history could repeat itself.

No. 1 UConn Huskies vs. No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide, 8:49 p.m. ET: UConn’s a runaway train heading toward their second straight natty: They rolled over their first four tourney opponents by an average of almost 28 points. Their one weakness? Teams who can sink risky shots from beyond the three-point arc…which just happens to be Alabama’s bread and butter.

• The Tide’s success rests heavily on senior guard Mark Sears’ shoulders. He drained an impeccable six second-half three-pointers in Alabama’s Elite Eight win over No. 6 Clemson, and Bama will need another stellar performance to have a, ahem, shot tomorrow.

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