The rematch is set.
After a 2023 national title game that lit the basketball world on fire, Iowa and LSU are set to run it back in the Elite Eight. Caitlin Clark and No. 1 seed Iowa made easy work of No. 5 seed Colorado Saturday in a 89-68 Sweet 16 romp.
That game followed No. 3 seed LSU's win over No. 2 UCLA in a 78-69 nail-biter that the Bruins led with two minutes remaining. Next, the Hawkeyes and Tigers will meet in a Monday regional final with a trip to the Final Four at stake.
The game will feature marquee All-America stars Clark and Angel Reese, the reigning Final Four MOP who led LSU's run past Iowa to the 2023 championship. Both teams blitzed the record books en route to the title game. When it was done, Reese didn't hold back with an in-your-face taunt of Clark, a moment Reese described postgame as being "in my bag."
Now they'll settle things on the court one last time.
Clark, as usual, starred in Saturday's win. This time her playmaking took center stage. Clark had eight assists by halftime as Iowa opened up a 48-35 lead. Clark told ESPN's Holly Rowe at halftime that her playmaking was the "key to the game."
"I think that's the key to the game," Clark said. "We have multiple people in double figures. We're really good. Our ball screen offense is really good, being able to work that. They're flooding. Being able to hit Hannah on the roll."
It was more of the same in the second half. Colorado maintained the margin at 13 points with a 58-45 deficit midway through the third quarter. But the Hawkeyes pushed their lead to 68-47 before the fourth quarter started.They did not relent from there.
After a sweat in second round at home against West Virginia, Saturday's win over Colorado served as mere prelude to the main event that awaits on Monday. As usual, Clark did it all.
Clark's scoring didn't suffer from her focus on playmaking, even on a relative off day from long distance. She finished with 28 points, 14 assists, six rebounds, one assist and one steal. She shot 13 of 23 from the field and 3 of 11 from 3-point distance.
She left the game to a standing ovation from an appreciative Albany crowd with 1:39 remaining and Iowa leading, 87-68.
In part a product of her playmaking, all five Iowa starters scored in double figures. It was the kind of effort the Hawkeyes will need on Monday if they plan to avenge last year's title game loss.
