How to watch Iowa vs. LSU in Elite Eight – NBC New York

Let’s take a look back at monday games: Iowa vs LSU. Pretty intense comment of Reese and Clark blows up.
Monday’s Elite Eight matchup between Iowa and LSU marks a significant moment for women’s college basketball, following last season’s pivotal national title game. This game holds particular weight as it is the first encounter between the two teams since their last year’s championship showdown. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, ahead of the anticipated game, have expressed mutual respect and absence of lingering animosity from their previous clash on the court.

“Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other. I want everybody to understand that. It’s just a super competitive game,” Reese told reporters. “Once I get between those lines, there’s no friends. I have plenty of friends on the court that I talk to outside of the game, but like when I get between those lines, we’re not friends. We’re not buddies. I’m going to talk trash to you. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game, but after the game we can kick it.”

Clark shared a similar sentiment. The Iowa star said “there’s definitely that competitive fire” between the two, adding that it’s probably the thing they share the most in common.

“Me and Angel have always been great competitors,” Clark said. “Obviously, she played in the Big Ten for a while to begin her career, and that’s what makes women’s basketball so fun is you have great competition, and that’s what we’ve had all year long. I think Angel would say the same.”

Last season’s title game saw Reese and Clark emerge as central figures, not just for their on-court performance but also due to the dramatic exchange between them. Reese’s memorable trash-talking of Clark during LSU’s victory overshadowed the game itself. In a bold move, Reese gestured towards Clark, mimicking John Cena’s iconic move by flashing her hand in front of her face before pointedly indicating her ring finger.

Reese faced backlash for her gesture, despite Clark having made a similar taunt to an opposing player earlier in the tournament. In a surprising turn, Clark later defended Reese’s actions.

The game garnered unprecedented attention, becoming the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history. The intense showdown drew parallels to the legendary 1979 men’s national championship game, where Magic Johnson’s Michigan State triumphed over Larry Bird’s Indiana State, marking the beginning of one of the NBA’s most storied rivalries.

As comparisons between the two women’s stars have emerged, akin to the iconic pairing of Johnson and Bird, Reese has acknowledged hearing such parallels but claims to not be particularly “familiar” with them. Nonetheless, Reese is content with embracing the role of the antagonist if it ultimately contributes to the growth and promotion of the sport.

“I’ll take the villain role. I’ll take the hit for it,” Reese said. “But I know we’re growing women’s basketball. If this is the way we’re going to do it, then this is the way we’re going to do it. You either like it or you don’t.”

Monday’s Elite Eight action in Albany isn’t the sole showcase of top women’s basketball talent. Paige Bueckers aims to lead UConn back to the Final Four after a setback last year, when their star was sidelined by an ACL tear. Standing in their path is a formidable 29-5 USC team, led by Juju Watkins, who has garnered acclaim for arguably the best freshman season in the sport’s history.

Ahead of Monday’s showdown, both All-Americans exchanged words of admiration for each other, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying clash on the court.

“Her confidence, her fearlessness, and ability to just not care that she’s a freshman and just perform the way that she does at the level that she does, it’s pretty amazing,” Bueckers told reporters of Watkins as the USC star is just seven points away from setting the record for the most points scored by a freshman.

“That’s the key part to being a great basketball player is surveying the court and stuff like that. It’s definitely something I’m continuing to work on, but I would say she’s got it,” Watkins said of Bueckers. “Not necessarily how quick, but the way she’s able to slow the game down and make the right plays.”

Bueckers has been showcasing her undeniable talent, appearing reminiscent of her pre-ACL tear form, if not surpassing it. In UConn’s Sweet 16 victory over Duke, she demonstrated her prowess with a 24-point performance, complemented by crucial defensive contributions including three steals and two blocks.

With both Monday matchups boasting an abundance of star power on both sides, coaches are also acknowledging the potential significance of the day for women’s college basketball. It presents another opportunity for the sport to reach new heights and solidify its place in the spotlight.

“It’s going to crush everything,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I think we would all tell you, right, it’s USC against UConn, and it’s LSU against Iowa. But star power drives narratives in athletics. It’s why the NBA took off, you know, when there were faces to it, going all the way back to Magic and Larry and Michael Jordan.

“I think it’s great for our game. The quality of basketball has been really high and really exciting, but to have stars in these games, I think, makes people tune in.”