One X factor for each women's Final Four basketball team

The star-studded women's Final Four is set.

On Friday in Cleveland, top-seeded South Carolina will play third-seeded NC State (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). In the other semifinal, first-seeded Iowa will play third-seeded UConn (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). 

Much of the focus will be on the biggest names, chiefly Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark, UConn two-time first-team All-American Paige Bueckers, South Carolina SEC Defensive Player of the Year Kamilla Cardoso and North Carolina State first-team All-ACC guard Aziaha James. 

The deck is utterly stacked, with major implications for all teams. 

But what about the unsung heroes? Every championship team needs a few players who, in their own way, keep things on track. Here are four players (one from each Final Four team) who could be difference-makers this weekend. 

South Carolina (36-0): Raven Johnson | 5-foot-9 guard

Johnson's story is one of dedication and steady growth. After redshirting her first year in Columbia and coming off the bench in all but three games last season, the redshirt sophomore leads the Gamecocks in minutes per contest (27.7, a shade ahead of fellow guard Te-Hina Paopao).

Despite being seventh on the team in scoring with 8.1 points per game, Johnson is irreplaceable for South Carolina. The Atlanta native leads the Gamecocks in steals per game (2.0) and has upped her three-point shooting to 35.2% this season — she shot just 24.1% from downtown last season. 

That improvement paid off in a huge spot in the Sweet 16, as Johnson's triple from the right wing put South Carolina ahead by five with under a minute to play. It was the defining moment of a 14-point, six-assist, five-rebound, two-steal outing for the guard. 

Johnson is extremely valuable for a group that ranks first nationally in defensive rating. She tops the Gamecocks in defensive win shares (3.0); now, with her improved outside shooting and team-high 4.9 assists, she is a two-way force.

"We're not as good of a basketball team just for what Raven brings to the table on both sides of the basketball," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley told reporters after South Carolina’s Elite Eight victory against third-seeded Oregon State on Sunday.

NC State (31-6): Madison Hayes | 6-foot guard

The Wolfpack are in their first Final Four in 26 years, and Hayes is a key reason why. The senior from Chattanooga, Tenn., leads the team in three-point shooting (40.7%) and rebounding (6.9).

She doesn't dominate the ball — Hayes is eighth among NC State players in usage rating (16.9%) and fourth in field-goal attempts (307) — but the senior is always ready to fire from distance and moves the ball sufficiently within head coach Wes Moore's free-flowing system.

Hayes has struggled from the field throughout the tournament, averaging 4.3 points on 25% shooting (and 25% from three). But that hasn't stopped her from racking up the boards and staying engaged offensively — in fact, her 2.8 assists per game in NC State’s four tournament victories are double her average (1.4) over the entire season.

Hayes and James have seen it all during her Wolfpack career. 

In 2021-22, NC State got close to the Final Four, losing 91-87 to UConn in the Elite Eight. Last season, the program slogged to a 20-12 record and Round of 64 exit. 

Hayes and James are the only remaining players from the 2021-22 season. Now, they and their teammates are ready to take on the best women's college hoops program. 

Iowa (33-4): Kate Martin | 6-foot guard

Across her first four seasons with the Hawkeyes, Martin put up solid, if unspectacular, numbers, averaging 6.4 points, four rebounds and 3.1 assists.

But her importance to Iowa went far beyond the stat sheet—her leadership and grit were second to none. Clark said during the program’s media day in October that Martin was "probably the best leader [she's] ever been around in [her] entire life."

This season, she has remained the heartbeat of the Hawkeyes while also boosting her statistics. Martin is averaging career highs in points (13.1), rebounds (6.8), field-goal percentage (59.7%) and free-throw percentage (86.6%). 

In Iowa's Elite Eight win against No. 3 seed LSU, Martin (fittingly) had one of the best games of her career (21 points, six rebounds and two steals). She guarded standout LSU forward Aneesah Morrow for stretches, who finished 7-of-18 from the field.

She's not Clark, but as a screener, cutter and floor spacer, she is a crucial cog in Iowa's Clark-centric system. 

UConn (33-5): Nika Mühl | 5-foot-10 guard

The Huskies have been ravaged by injuries, with Azzi Fudd, Jana El Alfy, Caroline Ducharme and Ayanna Patterson sitting during games. That has been a headache for head coach Geno Auriemma and has put increased stress on Bueckers and forward Aaliyah Edwards. 

The Huskies are lucky, though, that they have the steadying presence of Mühl. The senior from Croatia leads the team in assists per game (6.5) and is the program’s all-time assist leader with 679. 

Mühl keeps the UConn offense in sync, which thrives on passing and cutting. In the Huskies’ 80-73 Elite Eight win against top-seeded USC on Monday, she notched eight points, eight assists, five rebounds and two steals. 

Add in the fact that she guarded Trojan freshman sensation JuJu Watkins for much of the contest — making her the likely primary defender for Clark come Friday night — and her value to this team is evident.

"We already know we have a short bench," Mühl told reporters after the game. "That never has been an excuse for us, never has been, never will be. … Everybody needs to step up. Nobody needs to be great. [Auriemma] said everybody just needs to be solid and do what they're best at."

Mühl certainly does that, and she will need to do it more if UConn is to defeat Iowa and advance to the program’s 13th national title game under Auriemma.