ALBANY, N.Y. -- It's the rematch most women's basketball fans have been waiting for. If the LSU Tigers want to repeat as NCAA national champions, they will have to go through the red-hot Caitlin Clark, who has led the Iowa Hawkeyes to another incredible season. The two teams met in the title game last season, but both teams know this is a new year.
"We're not the same team we were last year, nor are they. But you certainly have some key pieces on each team," LSU coach Kim Mulkey said Sunday morning. "Our game plan will not even mention what we did last year because we don't have the same personnel."
However, some things will be the same. LSU will have to focus on Clark.
"Last year I got to switch on her early in the game, and I was like, 'She's not going to pull that for real,' and then she pulled it for real from half court, and she made it," Tigers guard Flau'Jae Johnson said in Sunday's press conference.
"I want to compete at the highest level, and right now Caitlin is the highest level. So if I can defend her, try to contain her and get the win, we'll be fine. There's no stopping her, but containing her, I'm going to take on that challenge," she added.
Iowa will have to focus on Angel Reese.
"I think boxing out is really important with Angel. She's one of the best rebounders, if not the best. I think that's my focus for this game for sure," Iowa forward Hannah Stuelke said during the Iowa press conference.
Both teams anticipate this will be a hard-fought battle, and also a big game for women's basketball.
"I think overall it's just going to be a really great game for women's basketball," Caitlin Clark said after Iowa's Sweet 16 win on Saturday. "They're really solid one through five. We know we are going to have to rebound the basketball.
"But more than anything I think just building off this win today, I think this was the first time in about three games we were able to put together what felt like a complete basketball game on both ends of the floor."
Let's take a closer look at how you can watch the action on Monday night from Albany, New York, before getting to the key storyline to follow in the matchup below.
How to watch (1) Iowa vs. (3) LSU
Date: Monday, April 1 | Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
Location: MVP Arena -- Albany, New York
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
LSU vs. Iowa: Key storyline
The team that keeps its cool and gets to the line most will have the advantage. Reese and Clark are not afraid of trash talk. Reese took round 1 and a championship ring over Clark and Iowa last season.
The two maintain respect for one another, and will play their game the exact same way they always do, with passion.
"Me and Caitlin Clark don't hate each other. I want everybody to understand that. It's just a super competitive game," Reese said on Sunday. "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."
"Me and Angel have always been great competitors. 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," Clark said.
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