����vlog

Iowa is one win away from a return to the Final Four, but the team will face its biggest test yet in order to get there.The No. 1 seed Hawkeyes will take on No. 3 seed — and defending national champions — LSU in the Elite Eight Monday in Albany, New York.LSU took down Iowa in last year's national championship game, 102-85. The Hawkeyes crushed Colorado on Saturday in the Sweet 16, while LSU survived in the final minutes to beat No. 2 seed UCLA.Here's what to know about LSU heading into the Elite Eight game.LSU women's basketball: Record, stats, coach, NCAA Tournament historyRecord: 31-5Conference: SEC (13-3; 2nd place)Coach: Kim Mulkey (91-13 in three years at LSU; 632-104 overall)NCAA Tournament history: LSU has a mixed history in the NCAA Tournament, but recent results have been nothing but successful.LSU is the reigning national champion. The Tigers have made the NCAA Tournament all three years under Kim Mulkey, following two consecutive missed tournaments before Mulkey was hired. Before Mulkey's hire in 2021-22, LSU had not been past the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2013-14.LSU was a mainstay in the Final Four in the mid-2000s, participating in the final weekend every year from 2004-08. Last year marked the program's first championship.Iowa vs. LSU: Series history, 2023 national championship game rematchThe all-time series is tied 2-2, with the most notable game coming last April in the title game. Mulkey has a bit more familiarity with Iowa than that, however. Mulkey led Baylor to the 2019 national championship, including an 85-53 win over Megan Gustafson and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight. In 2015, Mulkey led Baylor past Iowa in the Sweet 16, 81-66, before Baylor lost in the next round. LSU women's basketball players to watch: Angel Reese, Flau'Jae Johnson, Hailey Van LithThere's plenty of history between Iowa and LSU's star players.Angel Reese earned NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors last season, thanks in part to 15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks vs. Iowa in the national title game. Guard Flau'Jae Johnson is also back for the Tigers after posting 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists vs. the Hawkeyes last year. Reese is LSU's leader again this year, averaging 18.7 points per game to go along with 13.2 rebounds. Johnson ranks third in scoring at 14.7 points per game and a team-high 39.5% mark from 3-point range. Hailey Van Lith transferred to LSU this year after three seasons at Louisville. She averages 11.7 points and a team-best 3.7 assists per game. Van Lith played against Iowa in last year's NCAA Tournament, posting a team-high 27 points in Louisville's loss.DePaul transfer Aneesah Morrow (16.5 points per game) and freshman Mikaylah Williams (14.4 points per game) round out a versatile LSU starting five.Matchup to watch: LSU's rebounding, size vs. Iowa's shootingIowa ranks first in the nation in scoring at 91.9 points per game, and LSU is second at 85.9 points per game. Expect a lot of scoring.What could be the deciding factor is the different way each team gets its points.LSU is second in the country in 2-point shots made per game, first in free throws made and attempted per game, and fifth in offensive rebounds per game. The Tigers have size across the board, and they want to use that advantage inside to score at the rim. LSU doesn't usually try to win with threes; the Tigers are 346th (out of 360) in the country in 3-point attempts per game, though they do rank better than average in 3-point percentage.Iowa, meanwhile, is nearly the exact opposite. The Hawkeyes are 276th in 2-point shot attempts per game but sixth in 3-pointers attempted. LSU has done well defending 3-pointers this season, allowing makes at just a 29.2% clip. The Tigers are also sixth in the country in forcing turnovers.