By Dalton Ray —

No. 1 seed women’s basketball is two wins away from their third trip to the Final Four. The 2018 Final Four is held in Columbus, Ohio March 29 and April 1.

Who are the other four teams in the Lexington Region with U of L?

No. 2 Baylor (33-1)

  • Only lost this season is against then-No. 8 UCLA Nov. 8.
  • Advanced to Elite Eight last season, ousted by national runner-up Mississippi State.
  • Four players average at least 12 points per game, led by Big 12 Conference Player of the Year Kalani Brown (20.1).
  • Brown (6-foot-7 center) is considered to be one of the nation’s best player and a Second Team All-American.
  • The Bears have the second-best scoring offense in the nation with 86.7 points per game.
  • Baylor allows 55.7 points per game, No. 17 in the country.
  • Lead in the nation in total rebounds and No. 2 in rebounds per game (49.1).
  • Three players made the Big 12 All-Conference team in Brown, Lauren Cox and Kristy Wallace.
  • Baylor has great size, five of the 10 players on the roster are 6-foot-1 or taller.

No. 4 Stanford (24-10) — Louisville’s next opponent

  • Eight of their 10 losses are against ranked teams.
  • Advanced to the Final Four last season, defeated by national champion South Carolina.
  • Led by seniors Brittany McPhee (16.8 points, 5.4 rebounds) and Alanna Smith (13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds).
  • McPhee and Smith were both all-conference selects.
  • Kiana Williams earned All-Freshman honors from the conference (10.5 points, 2.0 assists).
  • Stanford averages 69.0 points per game and allows 62.0.
  • The team ranks in the top 50 in major statistical categories.
  • A turnover prone team, Stanford ranks No. 242 in turnover margin (-1.51).

No. 6 Oregon State (25-7)

  • Finished tied for third in the PAC 12.
  • Reached the Sweet 16 last season.
  • Upset No. 3 Tennessee in the round of 32.
  • Marie Gulich (19.2 points, 9.2 rebounds) earned First Team All-PAC 12 and All-Defensive team.
  • Gulich is No. 11 in the nation with 94 blocked shots this season.
  • The Beavers have three players that shoot over 40 percent from three in Kat Tudor (41.2), Katie McWilliams (44.3) and Aleah Goodman (47.1).
  • Oregon State is second in the nation in 3-point percentage (40.2) and No. 28 with 3-pointers made (269).

You can follow Dalton Ray on Twitter @dray5477. 

File photo / The Louisville Cardinal