Caitlin Clark will get another shot at Angel Reese and LSU on Monday as Iowa will play the Tigers in the Elite 8.

Many already consider Clark to be the GOAT of women’s college basketball based on her personal records alone. However, 1 thing that’s eluded her has been a national championship ring with the Hawkeyes.

Clark is looking forward to the rematch just as much as anyone. Last season’s loss to LSU in the title game was still on the mind of her teammates at Saturday’s presser.

“Yeah, I think we’re excited. Anytime you have a chance to go up against somebody you lost to, it brings a little more energy,” Clark said. “At this point in the tournament every single team is good, whether you’re playing West Virginia, whether you’re playing Colorado, whether you’re playing LSU you prep the exact same way. You come in the exact same mindset.”

The LSU-Iowa showdown last season was very entertaining. The significance of the game for women’s college basketball couldn’t be stressed enough while Clark predicted that this season’s meeting with have a similar effect on the sport.

“I think overall it’s just going to be a really great game for women’s basketball. They’re really solid one through five,” Clark said. “We know we are going to have to rebound the basketball. But obviously I don’t know the ins and outs of everything about them because we haven’t gone through the scout yet.”

The Hawkeyes moved past Colorado to earn the right to play LSU again. It felt like the 1st time Iowa really played a solid team game in the tournament for Clark.

“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, whether it was in transition or on defense or really executing our offense,” Clark said. “I think being able to build off that and take that momentum into our next game.”

Can LSU stop Clark’s championship run in its tracks once again or will she get one step closer to her goal? If the game is anything like last season’s there will be plenty of fireworks.

A legacy-defining moment?

Either LSU or Iowa will punch their ticket to the Final Four on Monday. Tipoff from Albany, New York will be at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, and the opening line includes Iowa as a 1.5-point favorite per ESPN Bet. Fans can track the line movement throughout Sunday and leading up to tipoff via Tradition’s Ohio sports gambling apps.

Considering what could be at stake for Clark, that line is particularly intriguing. After all, for all of Clark’s impressive accolades and record-smashing performances, she is still without a ring.

Last year, Clark did net 30 points, but she was far from comfortable against LSU’s size and defense. The Tigers return a healthy core from last season’s team, but Clark being the favorite adds an extra layer of intrigue to Monday’s rematch.

If Clark wants a serious claim to the “GOAT” title, she cannot slip up against LSU this time around. That goes double with this year’s matchup coming in the Elite 8 as the Hawkeyes and Tigers both try to punch a return trip to the Final Four.

What’s also is intriguing is that while the spotlight is on Clark, the key to this game might be when the ball is not in her hands. LSU is among the best rebounding teams in the country, finishing 4th nationally with 16.7 offensive rebounds per game.

That rebounding prowess and the length of the Tigers gave Iowa fits a season ago, and we could be in for more of the same this time around.

Then again, that sets up a prototypical showdown for Clark to play the ultimate hero. Nothing will come easy, and that could lend itself to an instant classic if Clark can rise above the challenge and lead the Hawkeyes to the promised land.

Grab your popcorn and get ready for another exciting chapter in the rivalry.