sport news Iowa exacts revenge on LSU with 94-87 Elite 8 win one year after falling to ... trends now
BY ALEX RASKIN
It's rare that an Elite 8 matchup could get more attention than an NCAA Tournament finale, but that could be the case this year as Iowa and Louisiana State met in Albany on Monday for a rematch of the 2023 championship.
A year ago, LSU's 102-85 victory over Iowa in the title game scored nearly 10 million viewers, making it the most-watched women's basketball game ever.
The primary players were all back this time: LSU coach Kim Mulkey and her star, 'Bayou Barbie' Angel Reese, as well as Iowa coach Lisa Bluder and Caitlin Clark, the reigning NCAA Player of the Year.
And what little roster turnover there was only seemed to enhance this budding rivalry.
Bluder successfully replaced Monika Czinano's scoring with power forward Hannah Stuelke, while guiding Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin to larger roles in 2023-24.
Mulkey, meanwhile was forced to replace Jasmine Carson, LaDazhia Williams and Alexis Morris, who combined for 65 points in last year's final as Morris stepped up to 'hold' Clark to 30 points on defense.
This season, Mulkey relied heavily on the perimeter defense of sophomore Flau'jae Johnson as well as two transfers: ex-DePaul star Aneesah Morrow and former Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith.
Caitlin Clark is seen being defended by then-Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith in 2023
It's a rematch of last year's title game in which Reese's Tigers beat Clark's Hawkeyes
And Monday wasn't the first time Van Lith had faced Clark in the Elite 8. A year earlier, with her Cardinals facing Clark's Hawkeyes in Seattle, Van Lith was outscored 41-27 by the Player of the Year as Iowa advanced to its first Final Four since 1993.
Along the way, Clark famously
