ALBANY — It’s not for a championship.
It’s for so much more.
It may be the most anticipated game in women’s hoops history, a memory that will live longer than the title games, that will remind you where you watched it and who you were with.
This is a rematch of the most important game in sports, a game that sparked a rivalry, a tournament that created celebrities, inspired a generation and ignited a movement.
It’s LSU, which has a chance to defend its crown, to end Caitlin Clark’s career and send her home in tears, to allow Angel Reese, Kim Mulkey and the ultra-brash Tigers to silence their countless reviews.
“I’m going to play the bad guy,” Reese said. “I’ll take the hit.” But I know we are growing women’s basketball. If that’s the way we’re going to do it, then that’s the way we’re going to do it. You either like it or you don’t.
It’s Iowa, with a chance to reach another Final Four, to extend its most wonderful four years for another week, to avenge a loss in the national title game that could forever make its Ill condition.
“Every one of us wants this so bad,” Clark said. “We want to get to the Final Four so bad. I think the main similarity (with Reese) is how much we want it and how competitive we are. … We’re going to do everything we can to help our teams win.
Women’s football has waited decades to benefit from such influence.
A year later, the most watched competition in history is just an appetizer.
For one evening, upstate New York will be the unlikely capital of college basketball, when a sold-out MVP Arena hosts the heavyweight battle between Iowa (32-4) and LSU (31-5) – the No. 1 and 3 seeds in the standings. the Albany region 2.
The Elite Eight battle is expected to draw the largest television audience ever – last year’s national title game drew a record 9.9 million viewers, doubling the previous year’s audiences – with the two biggest sports celebrities headlining a historic night in women’s hoops, before a nightcap of Portland Region 3 between top-seeded USC and third-seeded UConn with the other biggest stars in sports, JuJu Watkins and Paige Bueckers.
“I think if I was just a basketball fan in general, I would be glued to the TV like no one else,” Clark said. “I think women’s basketball fans know how special and cool this moment will be. I think the audience figures will show that.
“I’m lucky to be a part of it.”
The hype may be effective because basketball brought them – the two most successful teams in the country – here.
Iowa merges Showtime and Suns “Seven Seconds or Less,” leading the nation in points, assists and three-pointers made.
LSU epitomizes the “Bad Boys” Pistons, a complete, oft-disrespected and battle-tested group with a physical front line and exceptional backcourt, leading the nation in free throw attempts and ranking second in rebounds .
Last year, LSU set the all-time mark for points in a title game in a 102-85 victory.
Clark — after scoring 41 points in a win over undefeated South Carolina — finished with 30 points and eight assists, but the Tigers forced her to settle for 3s on 19 of her 22 shots and kept the supporting cast of the silent Hawkeyes.
“The scouting report from last year’s game is the same scouting report from this year’s game,” Reese said. “Caitlin Clark is who she is. We’re going to have to contain it as best we can. She is an extraordinary player. … She scores 30 when they win, and she scores 30 when they lose. … We’re just going to have to stop these other players from scoring.
Things have changed.
Only five starters return from last year’s game.
Clark is now a generational icon.
Reese, her closest rival.
Two non-traditional powerhouses produce sellouts wherever they play, produce history every time they meet.
This time, it’s not for the title.
It’s for everything you can imagine.
“We both want to win more than anything,” Clark said. “And that’s how it should be when you’re a competitor and you find yourself in a situation like this.”
New York Post
