There hasn't been a rematch in the NCAA women's basketball national championship game since UConn and Notre Dame played each other in 2014 and 2015. Even though we're still a few days away from this year's tournament tipping off, that streak is guaranteed to continue.
In one of the most stunning reveals of Selection Sunday, Iowa and reigning national champions LSU were placed in the same region. The Hawkeyes earned the No. 1 seed in the Albany 2 region, while LSU received the No. 3 seed in that section of the bracket. Should each team win their first three games, they would meet again in the Elite Eight.
With Caitlin Clark leading the way, Iowa is expected to contend for a national title, and it would be a major shock if they don't reach at least the Elite Eight. The same is true for LSU, who missed out on a top seed due to a mid-season slump, but has the top-end talent to win it all again.
Here's a quick look back at how each team got to this point, and their potential paths to an Elite Eight showdown.
No. 1 Iowa
- Record: 29-4
- NET ranking: 5th
- Conference tournament result: Big Ten champions
- Record vs. Top-25 teams: 4-2
- Offensive rating: 119.2
- Defensive rating: 93.0
- Net rating: plus-26.2
The Hawkeyes are a No. 1 seed for the first time since 1992, and will host the first two rounds in Iowa City. They should have little trouble against whoever wins the No. 16 seed First Four game between Holy Cross and UT-Martin, but being at home will be a big boost in the second round versus either West Virginia or Princeton.
Assuming they take care of business, they would then move on to the Sweet Sixteen in Albany, N.Y., where the likely opponent would be No. 4 seed Kansas State or No. 5 seed Colorado. The Wildcats are one of four teams to beat the Hawkeyes this season, and would provide a real challenge. If it's the Buffaloes, that would represent another rematch. The Hawkeyes beat the Buffaloes in the Sweet Sixteen by 10 last year. A win there this season would send Iowa back to the Elite Eight. The program hasn't been that far in consecutive seasons since 1987-88.
No. 3 LSU
- Record: 28-5
- NET ranking: 8th
- Conference tournament result: SEC runner-up
- Record vs. Top-25 teams: 1-3
- Offensive rating: 111.1
- Defefnsive rating: 80.5
- Net rating: plus-30.6
LSU has drawn a relatively easy first round opponent in Rice. The Owls finished 9-9 in the AAC and were the No. 10 seed in the conference tournament, but won four games in four days to earn an automatic bid. Despite their hot streak, they figure to be overmatched against the Tigers. Up next, LSU would have the winner of Louisville and Middle Tennessee State. Louisville started off strong but has alternated wins and losses since Feb. 1, while Middle Tennessee State is a mid-major darling. Neither would be the easiest contest, but LSU would be favored either way.
If the Tigers advance to the Sweet Sixteen they would almost certainly face the No. 2 seed UCLA. The battle-tested Bruins went to the Sweet Sixteen last year and have been ranked in the top-10 for nearly the entire season. They have the size to match the Tigers in the paint and would be an extremely tough out. But should LSU get past UCLA, it would be on to the Elite Eight, and that potential championship rematch against Iowa.
