Caitlin Clark, Iowa Hawkeyes win, will face LSU Tigers next - ESPN

ALBANY, N.Y. — The collision course for last season's national championship game opponents was set up by the NCAA women's basketball committee on Selection Sunday nearly two weeks ago. Then Iowa and LSU had to work to get there. Now, it's on.

The No. 1 seed Hawkeyes dominated their Sweet 16 game versus 5-seed Colorado 89-68 on Saturday here at MVP Arena. That followed a much closer and more heated matchup in which No. 3 seed and defending champion LSU took over in the final four minutes to beat 2-seed UCLA 78-69.

Next, it's a rematch of the matchup that drew the biggest television audience in women's tournament history last season in Dallas. The Tigers won the ABC-televised NCAA final 102-85, after Iowa had upset previously undefeated South Carolina in the national semifinals.

On Saturday, the Hawkeyes had barely stepped off the court after beating the Buffaloes before the questions came about LSU.

«Anytime you have a chance to go up against somebody you lost to, it brings a little more energy,» said guard Caitlin Clark, who led Iowa with 29 points and 15 assists. «I think overall, it's just going to be a really great game for women's basketball.»

LSU enters the regional final surrounded by various dramas, such as newspaper articles that have angered coach Kim Mulkey and some unpleasantries that might have been exchanged between LSU players and UCLA's bench and fans on Saturday. Bruins coach Cori Close insisted no one on her staff said anything «a little crazy» toward LSU forward Angel Reese, as Reese claimed in the postgame press conference.

There was also drama at the end of last year's national championship game, as Reese pointed to her ring finger while circling Clark near the conclusion of LSU's victory. That was