A huge congratulations to all four teams who earned their spots in the Women’s Final Four: UCLA, South Carolina, Texas, and UConn! What an incredible run through the Elite Eight. We celebrate your hard work, dedication, and the outstanding coaching that got you here. Best of luck to all four programs as the Final Four tips off!
What separates these four programs isn’t just talent, it’s the precision of their play design. From back-door cuts off up screens to late-clock sets that manufacture clean looks, each team showed a mastery of spacing and timing that coaches at every level can learn from. Below, we break down a standout play from each squad and show you how to build it into your own system using FastBreak PlayBook.
1. UCLA
UCLA ran this action to attack aggressive on-ball defenders. The point guard dribbles to the right wing and pump fakes to 4 at the top of the key. Because the defense over-commits, 4 uses the screen from 3 to cut back door to the basket for the layup. When 2’s defender crashes to help, 1 can kick out to the corner instead. This play works because it forces two defenders to make a read at the same time, and one of them will be wrong. If you want step-by-step visual breakdowns of plays like this, FastBreak makes it easy to build and share them with your staff.
2. South Carolina
South Carolina used this set to free up their best shooter for a top-of-the-key jumper. The ball swings from 2 to 1 while 5 screens to get 4 to the low block. Then 2 reverses and sets an elevator screen with 5 to free 3 for an open look. Additionally, the timing of the double screen makes it nearly impossible for a single defender to stay connected. When you install this, make sure your screeners understand they need to hold the gap long enough for the shooter to read and burst through. For shared program vocabulary around screen timing cues, a consistent playbook glossary keeps everyone on the same page.
3. Texas
Texas ran a layered action that kept the defense guessing through three consecutive reads. First, 1 dribbles toward center court as 5 sets an off-ball screen to free 2 to the low block. Then 4 and 5 set stagger screens to move 2 to the left wing, and 3 sets another screen on the same possession. Finally, 5 screens across the paint to release 4 to the short corner for an open jumper that can extend out to a corner three. Because each stage of the play looks similar to the last, defenders struggle to anticipate where the ball goes next.
4. UConn
UConn used a simple but lethal two-action set to attack teams that denied the post. First, 5 down screens for 3 and 4 down screens for 2, drawing both defenders out to the perimeter. Then 1 hits the open post player, and 5 attacks the basket immediately. However, if help collapses, 4 slices backdoor for the finish. The beauty of this play comes from its simplicity: 5 has two clean reads and makes one decision. When you teach post entry actions like this at FastBreak PlayBook, you can diagram both reads side by side so players walk in already knowing what to expect.
Run These Plays Today
These four teams got to the Final Four because their players understood not just the play, but the why behind it. Each of these sets creates a decision point for the defense, and well-coached players exploit that every time. Study them, adapt them to your personnel, and build your own versions using these Final Four play breakdowns as a starting point. The best coaching happens when you steal from the best and make it your own.
