Unmatched 1v1 event schedule, predictions: which WNBA star will win all of it?

4 WNBA stars are on the cusp of bringing house a $200,000 money prize — and being topped the winner of Unrivaled’s inaugural 1v1 tournament.

These gamers are Azura Stevens (Rose Membership), Napheesa Collier (Lunar Owls Membership), Aaliyah Edwards (Mist Membership), and Arike Ogunbowale (Vinyl Membership).

However these 4 aren’t the one Unmatched gamers with cash on the road on Friday. Members of the Rose, Lunar Owls, Mist, and Vinyl all have a stake within the recreation, even when they’re eradicated from the event or by no means participated in it within the first place. That’s as a result of they are going to be awarded $10,000, by proxy, if their teammate wins all of it.

Collier, one of many league’s co-founders, mentioned that a part of what lured gamers to compete within the event was the money prize.

“I feel as soon as folks noticed the prize cash, that form of abated a whole lot of our worries,” she mentioned. “As a result of, for 200k — and it was extra earlier than we determined to separate it up between the teammates of the winner — I feel simply seeing that cash acquired everybody chomping on the bit to go on the market.”

Semi-Finals Matchups and Predictions

The Semi-Finals start on Friday, Feb 14. on TNT. The primary recreation, between Aaliyah Edwards and Arike Ogunbowale, will happen at 7:30pm ET. The second recreation, between Napheesa Collier and Azura Stevens, is at 7:45pm.

Then, the 2 winners will face off at 8pm in a best-of-three Finals collection.

Aaliyah Edwards vs Arike Ogunbowale: Nobody anticipated Aaliyah Edwards to beat Breanna Stewart 12-0 within the first spherical of the event. However, it wasn’t a fluke for the Washington Mystics rookie, who subsequently had a bye within the second spherical earlier than handily beating Allisha Grey within the quarterfinals.

Ogunbowale, in the meantime, was one of many event’s No. 1 seeds, and after a first-round bye, she’s eradicated each Skylar Diggins-Smith (12-8) and Satou Sabally (12-8). She hasn’t acquired hearth but, however she’s confirmed she will at any second. Nonetheless, I give the sting to Edwards, who’s merely been locked into one other gear for the reason that event started.

Prediction: Aaliyah Edwards advances

Napheesa Collier vs Azura Stevens: Napheesa Collier has been probably the most dominant participant in Unmatched for the reason that league tipped off final month — and her dominance has continued by way of Unmatched’s 1v1 event. She eradicated former UConn teammate Katie Lue Samuelson 12-6 on day one to advance to the second spherical. Then, on the second day of motion, Collier beat Sparks rookie Rickea Jackson 12-5 and Lynx teammate Courtney Williams 12-4, utilizing her measurement and power benefit in opposition to each opponents.

Stevens, in the meantime, had a first-round bye because of opponent accidents however dominated on Day 2. First, she eradicated fellow post-player Shakira Austin 11-4, earlier than beating fellow Los Angeles Sparks teammate Rae Burrell. Stevens mentioned she’s an enormous fan of the event and that she’d wish to see it happen elsewhere as nicely.

“I feel it’d be nice for them so as to add them within the W,” Stevens mentioned. “I feel each league ought to add it. I feel Unmatched is setting a tempo for all sports activities leagues to take discover.”

Now, Collier and Stevens — former UConn teammates — will face off with a visit to the finals on the road.

At 6’6, Stevens has the scale/size edge, however the 6’1 Collier performs larger than her measurement. Each can knock down the three, so a few of it can come all the way down to who can discover a rhythm early on, however I give the sting to Collier, who’s merely been unstoppable on each ends to date in Unmatched.

The winners of every of these matchups will compete in a best-of-three collection for the 1v1 title.

My present predictions? Collier and Edwards will face off in a best-of-three ultimate with Collier coming away victorious within the ultimate recreation, fittingly profitable the 1v1 event of the league that she helped co-found.