And, more importantly, happy women’s March Madness championship game day. Following Friday’s thrilling Final Four action, No. 1 South Carolina and No. 2 UConn square off tonight at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN) for all the marbles.

• So, here’s your primer for the Madness finale. Let’s get this party started.

These kids, they’re working with personal trainers. In college! I was pounding beers and cheeseburgers in college.

Before we dive into tonight’s game, let’s take a quick look back at Friday’s semis.

In the first semifinal, No. 1 Louisville clawed back from an early deficit to make things close at the half, but high-powered No. 1 South Carolina and their lockdown defense proved too much for the Cardinals to handle, and the Gamecocks ran away with the 72–59 victory.

• The player of the game? South Carolina superstar Aliyah Boston, who poured in 23 points and had an incredible 18 (!!!) rebounds, notching a double-double. Big-time players making big-time plays.

And the late game proved to be well worth the wait. No. 2 UConn and defending champs No. 1 Stanford traded the lead through three quarters before the Huskies pulled away in the fourth, nailing important free throws down the stretch to seal the 63–58 victory.

• It took a group effort for UConn: Paige Bueckers netted a team-high 14 points, Evina Westbrook added 12 off the bench and Canadian Aaliyah Edwards nearly had a double-double. Teamwork makes the dream work, baby.

The GIST: Now for tonight’s game. As the team to beat all season long, it’s only right that South Carolina is back in the finals for the first time since winning it all in 2017.

• They swept the top postseason honors (junior Aliyah Boston won Naismith Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, and head coach Dawn Staley was named Naismith Coach of the Year) but are now looking for the most important hardware.

How they got here: South Carolina only lost twice this season, but their second L might’ve been just the motivation they needed. After falling to Kentucky in the SEC Championship Game, the Gamecocks went on a tear through March Madness, holding opponents to a mere 44.8 points per game on average. Sheesh.

Key to success: You know what they say about defense — it wins championships. South Carolina’s elite D shut down top Louisville star Hailey Van Lith during Friday’s semis, and they’ll need to keep up that energy tonight against a stacked UConn squad.

The GIST: Earlier this year, with their top players sidelined by injuries and win streaks ending, it didn’t seem like the Huskies would make it this far. But it’s UConn, they’re inevitable.

How they got here: It was a tough regular season. Sophomore superstar Paige Bueckers missed nearly three months with a knee injury while freshman Azzi Fudd (the top recruit in the 2021 class) sat out for over a month with a foot injury.

• But UConn started winning when it mattered most. They’re riding a 15-game win streak into tonight’s title game, where they’ll hunt for their record 12th championship.

Key to success: Limit the turnovers. When UConn lost to South Carolina back in November (before Bueckers’ injury), the Huskies turned the ball over 19 times. They’ll need to protect the rock if they want a different outcome tonight.

Aliyah Boston, South Carolina: Of course. Boston more than lived up to the moment in the Final Four — she led both teams in points, rebounds and assists on Friday — and the Gamecocks’ offense will no doubt run through her again tonight.

Paige Bueckers, UConn: Paige “Buckets” Bueckers lives for the big stage. And if the South Carolina defense focuses on shutting her shot down, watch for Bueckers to lean into her passing game. Dimes for days.

Victaria Saxton, South Carolina: A gritty defender and strong rebounder, senior forward Saxton has been a key component of South Carolina’s incredible run. To quote Coach Staley, “We don’t get here without Victaria.” Enough said.

Aaliyah Edwards, UConn: From hitting her foul shots to taking a key charge late in the game, the Canadian queen was clutch on Friday. UConn will need her to stay out of foul trouble tonight, especially as she matches up against Boston.

Brea Beal, South Carolina: Beal was tasked with covering Van Lith in Friday’s semifinal, and she aced the assignment. The junior guard held Louisville’s top scorer to just nine points, an impressive defensive performance highlighted by two momentum-changing blocks. She’ll anchor the Gamecocks’ D again tonight.

Azzi Fudd, UConn: The freshman phenom played like a vet in the Final Four, sinking her free throws down the stretch to help the Huskies retain their late lead. She’s also capable of stuffing the stat sheet, as evidenced by her 19-point outburst in the Elite Eight. Age is but a number.

Tonight’s championship tilt will receive the primetime treatment it deserves, tipping off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN in the U.S. and TSN in Canada.

• Plus, fan favorites Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi (and hopefully their beverages of choice) are back for another edition of The Bird & Taurasi Show, airing on ESPN2. Is it game time yet?

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It wouldn’t be a championship game without a “who ya got?” poll. South Carolina or UConn — reply to this email and let us know which squad you think will hoist the trophy tonight.

This article about what’s changed and what hasn’t after last season’s reckoning on gender equity at March Madness. Spoiler alert: there’s still a long way to go.

The women’s basketball party doesn’t end tonight, because the 2022 WNBA Draft is coming up on April 11th, and a handful of this year’s top college players have already opted in. The perfect remedy for those post-March Madness blues.

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