For most of the season, South Carolina has been excellent at taking care of the ball, with turnovers on fewer than 15 percent of their possessions. But there was one disastrous stretch to start the SEC championship game against Texas, and the Gamecocks can’t afford any of those lulls against UConn.

Where the improved offense might come in handy for South Carolina is beyond the 3-point line. The Huskies concede a high volume of 3s, and the Gamecocks have confident shooters who make 37.3 percent of their attempts. If Tessa Johnson or new additions Madina Okot and Agot Makeer find their range, that could shake up UConn’s schemes.

South Carolina will have its own challenges with the Huskies’ offensive firepower. Sarah Strong and Joyce Edwards have been battling since their high school days in North and South Carolina, but Strong has usually gotten the better of her. Raven Johnson and Tessa Johnson will have to contend with the bigger Azzi Fudd, who hasn’t been at her best this tournament and is still averaging 16 points per game on better than 50 percent shooting; and she is the reigning Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.

Even with some hiccups early against North Carolina and Notre Dame, UConn hasn’t given enough reasons to believe that another team can actually pull off the upset. The Huskies are too deep, too disciplined and too talented.

Prediction: UConn 79, South Carolina 68