The NCAA women’s basketball tournament wraps up four days in Albany tonight with a rematch a year in the making.
Sellout crowds have packed MVP Arena for two regionals over the past four days.
On Sunday, undefeated South Carolina turned back third-seeded Oregon State. The Gamecocks improved to 36-0 and punched a ticket to the Final Four in Cleveland starting Friday.
But the other regional final has all the hallmarks of a title game.
Third-seed LSU faces No. 1 Iowa in a rematch of last year’s national championship, with the Tigers winning a game that shattered viewership records.
All-time leading scorer Caitlin Clark says the Hawkeyes are taking things one game at a time as Iowa looks to get past LSU this year.
“These are the moments you’ve worked so hard for, this is what you’ve put the time in in the gym all by yourself and with your teammates,” she said. “I guess it’s like, go let your work shine, go have fun, go have a blast.”
LSU star Angel Reese was asked if she’s disappointed to be facing Iowa in the Elite Eight this year instead of the Final Four.
“We’re just happy to be a part of it, we’re happy where we are right now,” she said. “We really can’t complain about it. I know a lot of people are going to watch the game and in the next round, more people are going to watch that game, so just keep bringing attention to the game.
ESPN play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco says the stars have aligned for the LSU-Iowa tilt.
“I don’t think that there’s this feeling of, ‘They beat us last year; we need to make sure it’s us this year,” he said. “I think it’s more so just, ‘Hey, we want to get back to Final Four and this is the opponent in our way.”
South Carolina will face third seed North Carolina State in the Final Four, with the LSU-Iowa winner advancing to play the winner of tonight’s other Elite Eight matchup.
In that game, the University of Connecticut, seeded third, faces top-seed USC in the regional final in Portland.
UConn is in the Elite Eight for the 28th time and is seeking its 23rd Final Four. The game features a highly anticipated matchup between established Huskies standout Paige Bueckers and USC freshman star JuJu Watkins. USC is in its first regional final since 1994.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma says it all comes down to preparation and execution.
“I don’t know how other coaches approach this, but my approach has always been, what do they have that we’re going to have a problem with?” he said. “And then it just becomes obsessive: how can we solve that problem, how can we solve that problem?”
Back in Albany, there was talk earlier in the weekend about whether the city has the right amenities to host another Super Regional, with some coaches saying team hotels weren’t up to par.
For her part, South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley said she’d be happy to see the Sweet 16 come back.
“I thought this region did an excellent job at hosting all the teams. The hotels, the gym was very accommodating to us,” she said. “I can only speak on us. So I really appreciate it and if you make a bid for it again, you got my vote. But again, people don’t listen to me.”
One thing is for sure: there are precious few chances left to see Clark playing college basketball. She’s headed to the WNBA draft whenever Iowa’s run ends.
