BOURGES (France) - The EuroCup Women Final Four 2022 promises to be a spectacular event with a quartet of ambitious clubs all looking very capable of landing the precious piece of silverware this week in Bourges.

A total of 15 different clubs have been crowned champions during the 18 previous EuroCup Women seasons. Umana Reyer and CBK Mersin Yenisehir Bld are looking for a slice of history with a first title, while Galatasaray are chasing a record-equalling third title, to draw level with Dynamo Moscow. 

Meanwhile, if Tango Bourges are successful at the big event on their home court, they would become only the third club to have lifted the trophy more than once.

With time ticking down to the Semi-Finals, here's what you need to know. Our Expert Panel who have already made their predictions as to how things might go down in France. 

Umana Reyer v CBK Mersin

Form guide: Umana Reyer will still be riding on a high having showed their teeth and potential to finish on top of the podium by dumping out holders Valencia Basket in the Quarter-Finals. Prior to that, they had a roller-coaster EuroLeague Women Regular Season with a 5-9 record. Domestically they are 17-2 in the Italian League and likely to finish second behind Beretta Famila Schio.

CBK Mersin Yenisehir almost went out of the EuroCup Women at the hands of Lointek Gernika Bizkaia. After a blistering Regular Season, they lost by 24 points in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie, but managed to turn the huge deficit around. They have since won every game. Mersin recently beat Fenerbahce Safiport to the Turkish Cup and that underlined their potential to win this Final Four. They sit second with an 18-4 record in the league.

Key matchup: Mersin's Temi Fagbenle is shooting 62 percent from the field this season, leading all players with over 100 attempts in the competition . Since the Round of 16 she is averaging 16.5 points per game and has been on fire. She was also brilliant in the Turkish Cup Final. It is likely that she will go up against Spanish national team star Astou Ndour. Even if Ndoiur has not had the standout season many Reyer fans had hoped, she is an elite baller built for big games and she might just come up big in the clutch.

X-factor: It feels like it's money in the bank that Yvonne Anderson will continue producing in the backcourt for Reyer, so a big onus will be on forward Kayla Thornton to get enough inside-outside points for her team to keep pace with their opponents. The scoring options of Mersin are vast and there is a lot of pressure on Thornton because if she has an off-night, it's not certain her production will be picked up by someone else.

Kayla Thornton regularly delivers both inside and out for Reyer and must do so again when she faces Mersin

Did you know?: Reyer managed to qualify for the Finals the previous two times they reached the EuroCup Women Semi-Finals,, in 2018 and in 2021; however, three of the last four times they lost by 20 or more points in the competition against teams from Turkey.

CBK Mersin Yenisehir are shooting 52.8 percent from two-point range in the EuroCup Women this season, leading all teams that reached the Round of 8 and obviously all teams at the Final Four.. 

Tango Bourges Basket v Galatasaray 

Form guide: Tango Bourges are 11-2 in the EuroCup Women this season, losing in the Play-Off Round 1 first leg to London Lions by a solitary point and then 65-63 in the first leg of the Quarter-Finals against Basket Landes. In the French League, Bourges are flying and way out in front as the Regular Season winners with 17 wins and just 2 losses.

Galatasaray completed the EuroLeague Women Regular Season having went 5-9 and finished in 7th place in Group B. They then won both games in the EuroCup Women Quarter-Finals against KSC Szekszard. They have had a tough time in the Turkish League and are in sixth spot with a 14-9 record.

Key matchup: Tina Krajisnik will carry an immeasurable chunk of Galatasaray's hopes in this tournament. The Serbian center has been outstanding all season and continues to put up superb numbers and performances. Her matchups against the Bourges frontcourt will be fascinating because Bourges have multiple options to stop her and wear her down. From the veteran Isabelle Yacoubou to rising star Iliana Rupert. But whatever happens, it feels like this battle under the basket will go a long way towards determining who wins. 

X-factor: Kaela Davis won the EuroCup Women title with Galatasaray in 2018 and if she can light it up from the wings, then Galatasaray's chances will go up immensely. While Bourges play total team basketball and have so many different scorers and options, Galatasaray rely heavily on three or four key ballers. Davis has the capacity to go off in a big way - and, she might need to if Galatasaray are to make the Final because they just don't have the depth of their opponents. 

Did you know? Bourges have won each of their seven EuroCup Women home games by margins greater than 15 points and with an average margin of 35 points. They are also the only team to average 90 or more points per game at home in the competition this season.

Galatasaray have only won once on the road in their last five European games and that was in the first leg of the Quarter-Finals against KSC Szekszard. Prior to that, they suffered four consecutive away defeats in the EuroLeague Women. 

FIBA