Geno Auriemma let Cori Close watch UConn practice after her first season at UCLA. Now they're facing off in the Final Four of March Madness.

UCLA (34-2) will face perennial power UConn (35-3) in a national semifinal on Friday, but the Bruins have been churning out top talent and building toward this opportunity for decades.

The Final Four in Tampa Bay, Florida is made up of three No. 1 seeds — UCLA , South Carolina and Texas. UConn, however, is the betting favorite to cut down the nets as the sole No. 2 seed remaining.