The Final Four tips off this weekend with a spot in the championship game on the line.

On the men's side, UConn is coming off the most improbable buzzer-beater in recent tournament history facing an Illinois program that hasn't been to the Final Four in 21 years. In the other game, two No. 1 seeds, Arizona and Michigan, are set to play in what most people already consider the real championship game between the two best teams left.

On the women's side, UConn, one of the most dominant teams in women’s college basketball history, faces South Carolina in rematch from last year’s championship. Then UCLA faces Texas, in a rematch to the only team they lost to in the regular season.

Here’s your weekend preview starting with what matters most.

The stakes: This is as close to a championship game as you'll get before Monday. Arizona and Michigan are the two best teams left in the bracket, and both proved it to get here. Michigan finished the regular season with a record of 35-3 while Arizona finished at 36-2. Both rolled in the Elite Eight where Michigan beat Tennessee 95-62 and Arizona took care of Purdue 79-64. The winner goes on to the championship game Monday but whoever wins this game will likely be favored to win it all.

What to watch for: The frontcourt battle between these teams’ bigs will be the matchup that will likely decide this game. Arizona's Koa Peat and Motiejus Krivas will go up against Michigan's Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg. These are four guys who can take over on any given possession. Arizona’s inside scoring and depth is what makes them hard to stop while Michigan has a veteran roster with one of the best interior defenses in college basketball. Watch the battle in the paint and who gets the best of this matchup.

The Betting Angle [Powered by WagerXpert]: Michigan opens as a 1.5-point favorite, but Arizona shouldn’t be an underdog here. The Wildcats are the deeper, more balanced team. They became the first in tournament history to have six players score 14 or more in a single game while Michigan got here on a slightly easier path. This late in the tournament, depth matters, and Arizona is healthy and has more of it. Expect the Wildcats to get it done as short underdogs.

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The stakes: This past weekend in the Elite Eight UConn trailed Duke by as many as 19 points in the 2nd half. Then came one of the wilder finishes in tournament history, a buzzer-beater three that sent the Huskies to the Final Four and a stunned Duke team home in silence. Illinois also faced some adversity in their Elite Eight matchup erasing a 10-point second-half deficit to knock out a scrappy and well coached Iowa team.

For Illinois, just being here is a accomplishment for the program. The Illini haven't reached the Final Four in 21 years. For UConn, this is familiar territory as they have made the Final Four in two of the last three seasons and won the championship both times.

What to watch for: Keaton Wagler is the player to watch on Illinois. He dropped 25 points in the Elite Eight and prior to that put up 13 points and 12 rebounds against Houston. The star freshman has been spectacular this year and will look to put up another big game for his team to get the win on Saturday.

For UConn Terrance Reed Jr. is coming off a dominant stretch where he put up 26 points in the Elite Eight and a double-double against UCLA in the game prior. These are your two players to lock in on. Whoever dominates their side of the floor likely controls the game.

The Betting Angle [Powered by WagerXpert]: UConn is a 2.5-point underdog. While the Huskies have the championship pedigree and a dominant 17-1 record against the spread (ATS) in their last 18 tournament games, they have been far too prone to extended scoring droughts. Despite their late game shooting heroics against Duke they are coming off a dismal 1-of-18 start from deep in that game. Conversely, the Fighting Illini have the nation’s No. 1 adjusted offensive efficiency, providing a much higher offensive floor. Look to back Illinois to cover the small number in Indianapolis.

The stakes: This is a rematch of last year's national championship game, where UConn beat South Carolina 82-59. The Huskies are back and haven't lost since going 38-0 this season. They’ve dominated in the tournament winning every game by at least 18 points. South Carolina is back looking for revenge, but this isn't the same juggernaut we've seen in recent years. The Gamecocks lost the majority of their starters from last year's team and dropped multiple games this season including a 78-61 blowout against Texas.

What to watch for: Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong are the stars to watch for on this UConn squad. Azzi Fudd ranks second nationally in three-pointers made while shooting 44.6% from deep while Sarah Strong leads the team in points, rebounds, and blocks. Together they're the most complete duo left in the tournament.

South Carolina has an elite duo of their own in senior guard Raven Johnson and forward Joyce Edwards. Johnson is the reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the last remaining starter from the Gamecocks' previous title runs and Edwards gives coach Dawn Staley the frontcourt physicality to challenge Strong inside. Watch whether South Carolina can match UConn’s star duo.

The Betting Angle [Powered by WagerXpert]: UConn opens as a 6.5-point favorite, and it's hard to go against them. The Huskies haven't let anyone stay close all season, and South Carolina has struggled offensively against elite competition. The Gamecocks have the defense to keep it close early on, but UConn's depth, shooting, and star power give them the higher ceiling. Back the Huskies to cover.

The stakes: Texas and UCLA have already played once this season where Texas won 76-65 in November, the only loss on UCLA's record. The Bruins have won 29 straight since. The stakes raise significantly in this rematch with the winner going to Sunday's title game. For Texas, it would be their first championship appearance since 1986. For UCLA, it would be the program's first ever.

What to watch for: The two players to watch are Lauren Betts and Madison Booker. Betts is UCLA's 6-foot-7 center, she was banged up in the first meeting but has been dominant in the tournament, putting up 23 points and 5 blocks against Duke last game. Booker is Texas's star, leading the team in scoring in 36 of 37 games this season. Whoever controls the game on their end likely wins it.

The big question is whether UCLA can handle Texas's defensive pressure. The Longhorns forced 20 turnovers in the first meeting and scored 18 points off them. If they can disrupt UCLA early, the Bruins are in trouble.

The Betting Angle [Powered by WagerXpert]: Texas opens as a slim 1.5-point favorite, but their edge feels bigger than that. They built a 20-point halftime lead in the first meeting and held a good Michigan team to 41 points in the Elite Eight. UCLA's 29-game winning streak is real, but Texas has fared better against elite competition going leading the nation with 16 wins over ranked opponents. Back Texas to head to the championship game.

Must-watch:

Worth tuning in:

6. Texas vs. UCLA (Friday 9:30pm, ESPN ) — A rematch of the only game UCLA has lost all season.

— Backdrop Sports

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