MUNICH (Germany) - The EuroCup Women Semi-Finals are about to drop and there's plenty to look forward with a repeat of the 2018 title game and an intriguing All-French matchup lying in wait.

A total of 15 different clubs have been crowned champions during the 19 previous EuroCup Women seasons.

Umana Reyer are chasing their maiden title after multiple finishes as runners-up and they go up against Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring, who pipped them to silverware five years ago - and are looking to become only the second club (along with Dynamo Moscow) to win three titles.

Meanwhile, LDLC ASVEL Feminin are continuing their quest to be crowned champions for the first time and this next hurdle will see them lock horns with French rivals Villeneuve d'Ascq, who won the title in 2015.

Galatasaray Cagdas Factoring v Umana Reyer Venezia

First Leg: March 16 (18:00 CET) - Bakirkoy, TUR
Second Leg: March 23 (19:30 CET) - Venezia, ITA

Form guide: Galatasaray are 10-2 in the competition this season and are on a stunning nine game winning streak. In the Turkish league, they occupy third spot with a 16-6 record. Reyer Venezia are 9-3 in the competition and in the Italian league they are also in third place on 20-4.

Key matchup: It is not rocket science that to stop Galatasaray you have to inevitably come up with a strategy to nullify or at least slow down the incredible physical and imposing presence of Teaira McCowan. She has been a colossus throughout the campaign and her eye-popping numbers of more than 21 points and 15 boards per game speaks for itself. 

Jessica Shepard will be ready to go up against the tournament's leading scorer and rebounder, Teaira McCowan

Yet while trying to tame the competition's leading scorer and rebounder might seem daunting, Reyer has their own high performer in center Jessica Shepard. She is close to a season double-double herself with 16.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per outing. This is a top drawer matchup and one that will go a long way to deciding the outcome of this Semi-Final tie!

X-factor: While broadly well-matched, there are some significant 'X-Factor' areas in this tie. Firstly, Galatasaray are excellent on the offensive glass, maybe not a surprise with someone like McCowan getting those putbacks. A massive 15.9 second chance points is a seriously productive source of scoring, so if Reyer don't box out bigger than ever, they could be dead in the water.

Galatasaray play with a lot of control and prefer a slightly slower tempo and while Reyer are not exactly run and gun themselves, they are much more effective on the fast break with 15.4 points compared to just 7 for their opponents. But both points are linked and the message is clear. The quality (or otherwise) of the defensive rebounding by Reyer could prove to be the biggest 'X-Factor'. 

Did you know? Reyer are the 'Comeback Queens' of EuroCup Women this year. They have lost the first leg games during all three stages of the knockout phase, but have bounced back to progress to the Semi-Finals. In many of those games they were down by significant double-digit deficits.

Galatasaray made the Semi-Finals of the competition last year as well, but were undone 69-67 in an absolute thriller with eventual champions, Tango Bourges Basket.

LDLC ASVEL Feminin v Villeneuve d'Ascq LM

First Leg: March 15 (20:00 CET) - Lyon, FRA
Second Leg: March 23 (20:00 CET) - Villeneueve d'Ascq, FRA

Form guide: LDLC ASVEL Feminin are 10-2 in the competition and that includes having won seven games in succession. Meanwhile, domestically they sit proudly at the top of the standings 14-2, while Villeneuve d'Ascq LM are 9-3 in EuroCup Women and in the French league they are fourth having won 12 and lost 4 games. 

Key matchup: We will have to wait with bated breath to see if they do directly guard each other, but there is a lot to love about the similarly in-form Marine Johannes and Kamiah Smalls showcasing their skills in the backcourt. Both ballers have had fruitful campaigns, with Johannes stepping up nicely for ASVEL since the tournament reached the business end. Her scoring and creative ability is always great for the fans to watch, but she is now about much more than this.

Meanwhile, Smalls has been important because there had been so much of a focus on Kennedy Burke who was seen as the marquee player for Villeneuve. Yet Smalls has shown she can also bring the noise and she is averaging almost 20 points per game across her last four outings and is really feeling it right now. Importantly she is also dishing out more than 4 assists per game.

X-factor: As with any domestic rivals meeting in EuroCup Women there is always that added element of familiarity and there is an immediate 'X-Factor' element there in terms of how this will impact the tie - or not. But surely it will play a role since both teams met recently in the Semi-Finals of the French Cup, with ASVEL taking a 77-64 victory to advance and that means ASVEL are a clean sweep 3-0 this season against their opponents. Have they got Villeneuve's number or is there a twist in the plot?

Did you know? The two losses of LDLC ASVEL Feminin this season both came against French opposition in the shape of BLMA. 

Villevenue d'Ascq have played 12 games this season and none at all have been close, with all 12 being decided (wins or losses) by at least 6 points or more. 

FIBA