The 2023 NCAA women’s national championship between LSU and Iowa was an instant classic. 365 days later, the two teams will run it back in the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
When this year’s bracket was revealed, most directed their eyes to the potential rematch while understanding both teams had their work cut out to reach the Elite Eight. In the Sweet 16, LSU dug deep to earn a gutsy victory over UCLA while Iowa turned in a dominant showing against Colorado.
With both teams handling their business in the first three rounds, the focus can now shift to the rematch of the game that captivated the sports world in 2023.
“It’s so good for women’s basketball,” Clark said of the matchup. “I know It’s going to be a great game and both teams are going to be ready to go. It’s just going to be great for our game and we couldn’t be more excited.”
With Clark and LSU sensation Angel Reese headlining the game, the hype for the rematch is growing at an exponential rate. Before the two teams take the floor in 2024, take a look back at how things played out in 2023.
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Iowa vs. LSU NCAA Tournament history
In 2023, LSU earned a 102-85 win over Iowa in the national championship game. The win secured LSU the first-ever national championship in the history of its women’s basketball program.
The game was the first-ever postseason meeting between the Tigers and Hawkeyes. Just how captivating was last year’s national championship? Tipping off on a Sunday afternoon, LSU-Iowa shattered viewership records with an average of 9.9 million viewers. In addition to becoming the most-watched women’s basketball game on record, the national championship game was one of the most-watched sporting events in all of 2023. This time around, the teams will meet on a Monday night, setting up a chance for another monster rating.
LSU entered last year’s national championship game with a 33-2 record while Iowa came in with a 31-6 record. The Tigers were a No. 3 seed in their region and donned their road purple uniforms against the Hawkeyes, who were a No. 2 seed in their region.
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Both teams pulled off incredible upsets in the Final Four to advance to the championship game — 3-seed LSU upset 1-seed Virginia Tech while 2-seed Iowa handed 1-seed South Carolina its lone loss of the 2022-23 season.
On the heels of their historic upset victory, the Hawkeyes entered the national championship game as a slight favorite. Both teams wasted no time getting to the action.
LSU got out to a 27-22 lead after one quarter and used a monster 32-point second frame to take a 59-42 lead into the halftime break.
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In the second half, Iowa couldn’t cut the deficit any closer than six and LSU pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 17-point win. In the game’s final moments, Reese made headlines with a few taunts directed toward Clark.
Clark led all scorers with 30 points (on 9-of-22 shooting) to go along with eight assists and two rebounds, though she did commit six turnovers. Three other Iowa players finished in double figures — Kate Martin and Monika Czinano scored 13 points apiece and Gabbie Marshall added 12.
LSU was led by an unsung hero in Jasmine Carson, who came off the bench to sink five 3s and score a team-high 22 points. Guard Alexis Morris had 21 points, forward Ladazhia Williams scored 20 points while Reese turned in a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double.
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How is Iowa vs. LSU different in 2023-24?
While some of the big names remain the same, lineups will look fairly different for both Iowa and LSU this time around.
The Hawkeyes have lost two starters from last year’s national championship game. Clark, Marshall and Martin started in the 2023 national championship game and will likely do so in this year’s Elite Eight.
Last year, Sydney Affolter and Hannah Stuelke combined to see 13 minutes of action off the bench in last year’s championship game. Affolter and Stuelke have been mainstays in the Hawkeyes’ starting unit in 2023-24.
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The Tigers have undergone a few roster changes of their own. Reese and sophomore Flau’jae Johnson are the only two players that will reprise their roles as starters in last year’s championship game.
LSU’s starting lineup in 2023 featured two fifth-year players in Morris and Williams as well as guard Kateri Poole, who left the program after appearing in just four games this season.
Replacing that trio of starters are a pair of transfers in Aneesah Morrow (DePaul) and Hailey Van Lith (Louisville) as well as an outstanding freshman in Mikaylah Williams.
The Tigers’ seven-player rotation is rounded out by guard Last-Tear Poa, who saw seven minutes of action in last year’s championship game and freshman center Aalyha Del Rosario.
