Ranking the 15 best players in the women's Final Four: From Bueckers and Betts to Paopao and Strong

Get ready to see the very best on the biggest stage. ESPN has ranked the top players in women's college basketball throughout the season. Now it's time for the women's Final Four, and we're down to the top 15 players who will compete in Tampa, Florida, from UCLA, South Carolina, Texas and UConn.

There's no surprise at the top: UConn guard Paige Bueckers, who scored a combined 71 points in the Huskies' two previous victories, leads the way. The presumptive No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on April 14, Bueckers is in her fourth Final Four and seeking her first national championship. She is one of four Huskies on this list. UConn will face UCLA in the nightcap of Friday's national semifinals (9 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Bruins, the No. 1 seed in the women's NCAA tournament, also have four players in the rankings.

Four Gamecocks also made the cut, though freshman Joyce Edwards -- who has struggled the past two games as defenses keyed on her -- dropped off the list after being included in our Sweet 16 top 25 player rankings.

The Gamecocks meet SEC rival Texas on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Longhorns are represented by three players on the list, led by SEC player of the year Madison Booker.

They'll all be vying to advance to Sunday's NCAA title game (3 p.m. ET, ABC). Before the games tip, ESPN's Kendra Andrews, Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel ranked their top 15.

1. Paige Bueckers, UConn

Guard | 6-foot | redshirt senior
Stats: 20.1 PPG, 4.8 APG, 2.1 SPG

Bueckers has been on a heater for most of March. She arrives in Tampa having scored 105 points over her past three games, the most in a three-game stretch for any player in UConn history. On Monday, she passed Napheesa Collier for third on the program's all-time scoring list. And in that span, she has shot 59.1% from the field and 61.9% from 3. And Bueckers is plenty motivated to win a national title in her final weekend in a UConn uniform. -- Philippou

2. Lauren Betts, UCLA

Center | 6-foot-7 | junior
Stats: 20.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 3.0 BPG

What hasn't Betts done for the Bruins in this tournament? Between her second-round performance and the Sweet 16, she became the first Division I player over the past 20 years to have 30 points, 10 rebounds and 80% field goal shooting in back-to-back games. On the other end of the court, Betts held opponents to 17% shooting when she contested the shot, including 2-of-17 from inside the paint through the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight. -- Andrews

3. Sarah Strong, UConn

Forward | 6-foot-2 | freshman
Stats: 16.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.3 SPG

Strong was spectacular in the Huskies' Elite Eight game Monday, keeping them afloat with 10 first-quarter points when scoring was hard to come by. She also showed off her versatility, coming away with a game-high 17 rebounds while also registering four assists and hitting 4-of-6 3-point attempts. Coach Geno Auriemma has described Strong as a level-headed player who treats every game the same, a quality that should serve her well in her first Final Four. -- Philippou

4. Madison Booker, Texas

Forward/guard | 6-foot-1 | sophomore
Stats: 16.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.8 APG

Booker stands out for consistency and versatility. Her numbers in the Longhorns' two regional wins were nearly identical: 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists vs. Tennessee, and 18, 6 and 2 against TCU. Texas hopes for similar stats vs. South Carolina. In the Longhorns' three previous meetings this season against the Gamecocks, her best performance was 20 points and 11 rebounds in a 66-62 win on Feb. 9. She was held to 10 and seven points in Texas' two losses to South Carolina. Booker didn't shoot well in any of those games: a combined 25.9% (14 of 54). Booker doesn't hesitate to do the dirty work on defense: guarding players of all sizes, fighting through screens, rebounding against bigger players. She is as comfortable starting the fast break as she is finishing it. Booker has a sweet jump shot that is hard to guard, and she can create something out of nothing. -- Voepel

5. Chloe Kitts, South Carolina

Guard | 6-foot-2 | junior
Stats: 10.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 52.5% FG

In the deep South Carolina rotation, Kitts has emerged as the steadiest and most reliable player. She has scored in double figures in nine straight games, with five double-doubles in that stretch. Getting the ball to Kitts and Sania Feagin was the Gamecocks' most successful offense tactic against Duke in the Elite Eight, and Kitts led the way with 14 points. The SEC tournament MVP has also been South Carolina's leading scorer and rebounder in the NCAA tournament (12.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG). -- Creme

6. Kiki Rice, UCLA

Forward | 5-foot-11 | junior
Stats: 12.9 PPG, 5.1 APG, 49.0% FG

Through the first four games of the tournament, UCLA is shooting 69% off of Rice's passes -- the third-highest mark in the tournament so far -- including 60% on 3-pointers. She has had a role in 39 of UCLA's 80 3-point attempts, either as the passer or the shooter. She's also averaging 13.5 points on 40% shooting from the field, including 50% from beyond the arc. -- Andrews

7. Azzi Fudd, UConn

Guard | 5-foot-11 | graduate
Stats: 13.1 PPG, 44.1 3FG%, 1.3 SPG

Fudd has had some ups and downs in this NCAA tournament, her first since 2023 after sitting out last season because of an ACL tear. She hit six 3-pointers for 22 points in the first round but struggled more in Spokane, where she averaged 9.0 points on 3-for-11 shooting from beyond the arc. But she ended the Elite Eight with an impactful fourth quarter (eight points) that helped put the game away for the Huskies, and hopes to use that momentum for a strong showing in Tampa. -- Philippou

8. Rori Harmon, Texas

Guard | 5-foot-6 | senior
Stats: 9.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.9 APG

Harmon sustained an ACL injury in December 2023 that cost her the rest of last season, but she worked hard to return for 2024-25. No guard works harder on defense: She is a premier on-ball defender but also provides great help to her teammates. Along with leading Texas in assists, she's tops in steals (2.2). She isn't averaging quite as many points this season, but that's more a function of the Longhorns not needing as much scoring from her. That said, she's still capable of taking over games, or getting the big basket at just the right time. In the Longhorns' regional wins, Harmon had 8 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists against Tennessee, and 13, 2 and 5 against TCU. -- Voepel

9. Gabriela Jaquez, UCLA

Guard | 6-foot | junior
Stats: 9.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 53.5 FG%

Not only did Jaquez hit the dagger shot that lifted the Bruins into the Final Four, but her five 3-pointers that game against LSU is the most for a player off the bench in the Elite Eight or later since Baylor's Emily Niemann in the championship game in 2005. -- Andrews

10. Taylor Jones, Texas

Forward | 6-foot-4 | senior
Stats: 12.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.9 BPG

Jones is a Texas native who started her college career at Oregon State but has spent the past three seasons with the Longhorns. She is Texas' second-leading scorer and is tops in rebounds and blocks. Her experience showed big-time in the regional, as she did exactly what Texas needed her to do in both games. Against Tennessee, she had 12 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks while being able to get up and down the court well against the Lady Vols' fast pace. Then against TCU, she had 7 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks while battling 6-7 Sedona Prince inside, holding her to four points on 1-of-4 shooting. -- Voepel

11. MiLaysia Fulwiley, South Carolina

Guard | 5-foot-10 | sophomore
Stats: 11.9 PPG, 1.9 APG, 42.0% FG

The NCAA tournament has been a roller coaster for Fulwiley. She played only 10 minutes in the second round against Indiana. Then she saved the Gamecocks with a brilliant 23-point performance in the Sweet 16 win over Maryland. Then it was back to 11 minutes of playing time two days later against Duke. Despite the fluctuating role, Fulwiley remains South Carolina's only true threat to take over a game. -- Creme

12. Sania Feagin, South Carolina

Forward | 6-foot-3 | senior
Stats: 8.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 60.5% FG

Generally a third or fourth scoring option for the Gamecocks, Feagin has played some of the best basketball of her career late in her final season. Her scoring average has jumped to 10.4 points in the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Feagin even became a go-to player against Duke in the regional final and delivered with reliable post moves that she turned into 12 points and eight rebounds. The Gamecocks wouldn't have survived the Blue Devils without Feagin's contributions. -- Creme

13. Timea Gardiner, UCLA

Forward | 6-foot-3 | junior
Stats: 7.7 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 42.3 FG%

Gardiner is shooting 11-of-20 in the tournament, including a career-high four 3-pointers in the Elite Eight, giving UCLA a major scoring boost. When Betts had to sit the second quarter against LSU because of foul trouble, Gardiner's shooting was the main reason the Bruins were able to win the period. -- Andrews

14. Kaitlyn Chen, UConn

Guard | 5-foot-9 | senior
Stats: 7.1 PPG, 3.3 APG, 1.2 SPG