Iowa, LSU ready for rematch of 2023 championship game
ALBANY, N.Y. Iowa and LSU would rather not be playing each other Monday night.
It’s not that they don’t relish the challenge of a rematch of last year’s national championship game, but both teams wish the stage was just a little bit bigger.
“We talk about growing the game,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said. “Didn’t that national championship game have the highest ratings ever in women’s basketball? You’re probably going to anticipate this one will, too, but it needs to be at the Final Four.”
The storylines are plentiful. It’s not just a rematch, it’s last year’s champion against a No. 1 seed. And it’s two of the game’s biggest and most competitive stars in Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark going headto-head — again.
“You’ve got two very talented players that have brought a lot of attention to our sport,” Mulkey said. “They both trash talk. They both make their teammates better. They both have their teammates’ backs. They have both elevated our game to where we have people watching that never watched women’s basketball before.”
But these are, of course, different teams from those that played last April in the Tigers’ 102-85 win.
LSU no longer has its three top scorers from that game. Forward LaDazhia Williams (20 points) and guards Jasmine Carson (22) and Alexis Morris (21).
In their place are forward Aneesah Morrow (16.5 pointer per game), a transfer from DePaul, and guards Mikaylah Williams (14.4), a freshman, and Louisville transfer Hailey Van Lith (11.7). “I just think they shoot the three-ball; they rebound so well,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said. “You’ve got five people averaging in double figures. That’s really hard to guard when you have that kind of balance.”
And Iowa is more than just Clark, who had 15 assists addition to her 29 points in the Hawkeyes’ blowout win over Colorado in the Sweet 16.
Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin, who each had 14 points against the Buffaloes have stepped into bigger roles this year. And Hannah Stuelke has replaced Monika Czinano as the team’s second-leading scorer.