SI:AM | One Thing to Know About Each Final Four Game

These matchups, stats and tendencies could decide who advances to the national championship.

DAN GARTLAND Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I think we’ve all been in the same situation as Royals rookie Carter Jensen, oversleeping and showing up late for work.  In today’s SI:AM: 🏀 Dan Hurley profile 💻 NCAA attempts to limit online abuse 🏈 NFL’s highest-paid players Final Four preview Amber Searls/Imagn Images March Madness is almost over. Well, it’s April, but you know what I mean. Today and tomorrow are the last days with multiple college basketball games until November. The women’s Final Four begins tonight in Phoenix, followed by the men’s games tomorrow night in Indianapolis. All four matchups should be fun, so let’s look at each one in more detail.  Women’s: No. 1 UConn vs. No. 1 South Carolina (7 p.m. ET on Friday) If any team can contain UConn’s two-headed monster on offense, it might be South Carolina.  The Huskies are led by the duo of senior guard Azzi Fudd and sophomore forward Sarah Strong, both of whom were first-team All-American selections by the Associated Press. (Strong was also named the winner of the Naismith Award on Wednesday.) They’ve combined to score 40% of UConn’s points this season.  CONTINUE DAN’S COLUMN ON SI The best of Sports Illustrated UConn’s Dan Hurley is seeking his third national title in four years. Bryan Fischer explores what it is like to play for a coach whose public and private coaching personalities exist on the line between edge and levity. While the women’s Final Four is a repeat of the 2025 edition, Emma Baccellieri argues that the four teams are much different this year. Baccellieri also reports that Dawn Staley has connections—and she’s not afraid to use them to give South Carolina an advantage.  The NCAA is looking to tackle a growing problem of online abuse of college athletes, Pat Forde writes. The Lakers have had a recent run of success, but Chris Mannix says Thursday’s game against the Thunder showed how large the gap is between the two teams. Matt Verderame breaks down the NFL’s highest-paid players at every position. Get the print edition of Sports Illustrated delivered to your door. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE!  Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images 👀 The top five ... … things I saw last night:  5. The way the center field camera was shaking due to high winds in Kansas City.  4. Kon Knueppel’s 261st three-pointer of the season, a new Hornets franchise record.  3. Cole Caufield’s sweet move to score a late game-winning goal for the Canadiens against the Rangers. 2. Some vintage James Harden isolation play to help seal the Cavs’ win over the Warriors.  1. Alek Thomas’s sliding catch in center.  Join the SI Boxing Newsletter Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix provides a weekly spotlight, featuring in-depth reporting and sharp commentary, on the biggest fights and stories inside the ring. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE W We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email. Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. 625 Broadway, 10th floor New York, NY. 10012 You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI:AM newsletter. You can unsubscribe here  . Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions © 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. All betting and gambling content included in the SI:AM newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators' opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER or texting 800GAM. Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser.