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The GIST: The sun is shining, women’s March Madness viewership numbers are skyrocketing, and the women’s Final Four is the hottest ticket in Tampa. Just another day in women’s sports.

• We’ll be back in your inbox with a championship preview on Sunday, but until then, let’s break down tonight’s semifinal tilts.

No. 1 seed Texas vs. No. 1 South Carolina — 7 p.m. ET: The defending champ Gamecocks aren’t the undefeated juggernaut they were last year, but South Carolina’s still hooping for their third title in four years. And though they don’t boast a bonafide superstar like the other Final Four contenders, this squad is deep: Seven different players have led the team in single-game scoring this season.

• But points will be hard to come by against a Longhorns squad that hangs its hat on relentless defense. In fact, Texas’ D held both No. 5 Tennessee and No. 2 TCU to almost 30 points below their season averages in the last two rounds. Stifling.

• Tonight’s game is the third meeting of these SEC foes this season: All-American Madison Booker led the Longhorns to a hotly contested 66–62 regular-season dub in February, but South Carolina dominated in the conference championship in March. Rubber match ready.

No. 2 UConn vs. No. 1 UCLA — 9 p.m. ET: The Huskies boast the country’s best offense: They have the best field goal percentage, the third fewest turnovers, and hit threes like it's their day job. Not to mention, everything runs through a little someone named Paige Bueckers, who’s hoping to add an elusive national championship to an already impressive collegiate résumé.

• As for the Bruins, their MO is letting six-foot-seven superstar junior Lauren Betts cook in the paint — and she’s as good a passer as she is a scorer, meaning the Huskies’ lack of size could be a serious problem down the stretch in this one.

The GIST: One of the chalkiest Final Fours in men’s hoops history hits the court tomorrow, and boy, are we in for a treat. While the lack of Cinderellas in this year’s tourney means less Madness, we have a chance to see the country’s most talented players and (in theory) best squads duke it out for a trip to Monday’s title game. Preemptive chills.

No. 1 Florida Gators vs. No. 1 Auburn Tigers — 6:09 p.m. ET: This is a matchup between the two top teams in the best conference, the SEC. It could hang on the health of Tigers superstar and POY contender Johni (pronounced juh-NIGH) Broome, who picked up ankle and elbow injuries (along with 25 points and 14 rebounds) in their Elite Eight win over No. 2 Michigan State.

• If injuries limit him, it could leave room for Florida’s first-team All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. and forward Thomas Haugh to take over, as they did to guide the Gators’ comeback win against No. 3 Texas Tech last weekend.

• These teams met once this year, a February 8th clash in which Florida upset then– No. 1 ranked Auburn on their home court. Broome and Clayton were absolute cinema head-to-head, so expect fireworks once again in this high-stakes SEC rematch.

No. 1 Houston Cougars vs. No. 1 Duke Blue Devils — 8:49 p.m. ET: Duke cruised through the first four rounds, winning each game by an average of 23.5 points — including a stunning 85–65 Elite Eight takedown of No. 2 Alabama.

• It’s hard to imagine anyone stopping the all-star trio of Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach (pronounced Ma-lu-watch), and Kon Knueppel (pronounced kuh-nipple), all projected first-rounders in the upcoming NBA Draft.

• But if anyone can do it, it’s the country’s fiercest defense, coached by living legend Kelvin Sampson. Sampson’s one of the winningest active men’s coaches to have never won a title — but soon, we’ll see if his Cougars can prove that D does in fact win championships.

It’s hard loving sports when you feel like you don’t belong — that’s why The GIST is here to level the playing field, uplifting diverse, underrepresented voices to ensure the beautiful game is actually for everyone.

In that spirit, we’re taking our mission to the ice and partnering with Truly, the Official Hard Seltzer of the NHL® in Canada. Together, we’re setting out to find Canada’s Next Great Hockey Creator. Here’s who we’re looking for:

🧊 A passionate hockey fan…duh.

🤳 A creative storyteller. You don’t just post — you captivate.

✍️ An up-and-coming creator with an eye for moments that matter.

✅ Check, check, and check? Then enter now for a chance to create content with Truly and win an epic grand prize: $10K, opportunities with The GIST, and of course, lots of Truly.

• On top of that, we are sending the winner to the 2025 Stanley Cup® Finals, with access to exclusive opportunities with the NHL®. Sip sip, hooray.