While we’ve never been great at predicting the future, we offer the following forecast with all the certainty of humidity in August:
Some history, and heart-palpitating moments, will transpire inside Amalie Arena in April. Book it.
The Women’s Final Four makes its fourth appearance in Tampa this year, and if the first three staged in our back yard were any sign, this one also will produce drama in bulk supply. We anticipate broken hearts and buzzer-beaters, tension and tears, maybe even a milestone.
Such elements are indigenous to what is widely considered among the greatest spectacles in sports. Speaking of spectacles, here are the most climactic, compelling, consequential moments produced by the first trio of Final Fours played in our area:
5. Taking the 10th
Final: UConn 63, Notre Dame 53
April 7, 2015 (Amalie Arena)
Our list commences with history. The Huskies hoops dynasty was steamrolling on all cylinders when UConn arrived in Tampa in 2015 seeking its third consecutive national title and 10th for coach Geno Auriemma. Led by Naismith Player of the Year Breanna Stewart, UConn entered 36-1, winning all 36 by double digits.
The dominance continued at Amalie; UConn topped Maryland, 81-58 in the semifinals before this 10-point win against Notre Dame in the title contest. With his latest crown, Auriemma tied UCLA’s John Wooden for most NCAA basketball titles, men or women.
4. Victory via Cable
Semifinal: Notre Dame 66, South Carolina 65
April 5, 2015 (Amalie Arena)
The inaugural Final Four appearance of dynasty-in-waiting South Carolina ended on this ebb-and-flow Easter Sunday night. The Gamecocks, who had trailed by 12 with 8 ½ minutes to play, rallied behind 6-foot senior Aleighsa Welch (10 points, 14 rebounds), whose stick-back with 1:12 to play capped a 13-0 run that gave South Carolina a 65-64 lead.
But that only set the stage for Irish backup Madison Cable. The 5-foot-11 guard emerged from beneath the rim to rebound a miss by All-American Jewell Loyd and hit a short turnaround jumper with 16 seconds remaining to give the Irish the win. It was the lone basket Cable would score in the game.
3. Irish eyes are crying
Final: Baylor 82, Notre Dame 81
April 7, 2019 (Amalie Arena)
The essence of March Madness — replete with euphoria and agony — was encapsulated in this stirring 2019 title game. Baylor point guard Chloe Jackson’s layup with five seconds remaining had given her team a two-point lead, but the Bears sent Notre Dame senior Arike Ogunbowale to the free-throw line with 1.9 seconds to play. At that moment, the Irish fan base oozed Casey at the Bat confidence.
Notre Dame’s career scoring leader, Ogunbowale already had scored 31 points, and had made a pair of game-winning shots in the previous year’s Final Four to give the Irish the title. But she missed the first of two free throws, preserving Baylor’s win.
“It just wasn’t meant to be,” Ogunbowale said. “It’s tough. It’s going to be a hard pill to swallow, but things happen. I had a fun, great career here. I won’t let that define the whole four years.”
2. Hey Alexis, show me some madness
Semifinal: Tennessee 47, LSU 46
April 6, 2008 (St. Pete Times Forum)
As breathtaking finishes go, the first night of Tampa’s first Women’s Final Four remains the benchmark for tourney games staged in our back yard. With Tennessee’s quest for a second national title dissipating with each knuckle-whitening second, Vols senior Alexis Hornbuckle grabbed a rebound of a Nicky Anosike miss and laid it back in with 0.7 seconds remaining, giving Tennessee a 47-46 victory against LSU.
The game-winner was Hornbuckle’s only shot attempt of the game. “It’s bigger than yourself when you come to the Final Four,” said Hornbuckle, who had hit a clutch 3-pointer to help seal a region-final win against Texas A&M the week before. “I just wanted to stay positive, and I crashed the boards and I looked up and I said, ‘I don’t want to pull this down; with my luck, I might as well try to tip it in.’ And luckily it went in.”
1. Pat Summitt’s swan song
Final: Tennessee 64, Stanford 48
April 8, 2008 (St. Pete Times Forum)
At the time, no one realized the 2008 Women’s Final Four — the first one staged in Tampa — would represent such a bittersweet backdrop for posterity. Behind tournament most outstanding player Candace Parker, and a suffocating trap defense that forced 25 turnovers, Tennessee rolled to a 64-48 triumph against the Cardinal, giving iconic Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt her eighth national title.
Only three years later, at age 59, Summitt was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and retired after the 2011-2012 season. She died at age 64 in 2016.
Women’s Final Four
April 4-6, Amalie Arena. TV: ABC/ESPN
Semifinals: April 4, 7 p.m., 9:30.
Final: April 6, 3 p.m.
Information: wfftampabay.com
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