The Iowa Hawkeyes knocked off the defending champions, and now they will try to win their first title Sunday when they take on the LSU Tigers in the 2023 Women's NCAA Tournament national championship. The second-seeded Hawkeyes (31-6) are led by National Player of the Year Caitlin Clark. She scored 41 points in the 77-72 victory against top-seeded South Carolina in the Final Four on Friday night. In the earlier game Friday, Angel Reese and Alexis Morris combined for 51 points for the third-seeded Tigers (33-2) in a 79-72 victory against No. 1 seed Virginia Tech.
Sunday's tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Hawkeyes as 3-point favorites in the latest LSU vs. Iowa odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 157.5. Before locking in any Iowa vs. LSU picks or national championship game predictions, you need to see what SportsLine women's basketball experts Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai have to say.
Barzilai is a Ph.D. from Stanford who served as Director of Basketball Analytics for the Philadelphia 76ers. Five years ago, he founded HerHoopStats.com -- a groundbreaking website that unlocks insights about the women's game. Wetzel, the site's lead betting writer, incorporates his mathematical background and strong knowledge of women's hoops to turn the site's prediction model into picks.
Barzilai and Wetzel went 590-430 overall (+127.40 units) during the 2021-22 women's college basketball campaign and posted a 406-255-5 record (+768.81 units) this past season. They also finished the WNBA regular season with a 54-44 mark in 2022. Anyone who has followed them has seen huge returns.
Now, Wetzel and Barzilai have set their sights on LSU vs. Iowa in the national championship game and just locked in their picks and best bets. You can head to SportsLine now see the picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Iowa vs. LSU:
- LSU vs. Iowa spread: Hawkeyes -3
- LSU vs. Iowa over/under: 157.5 points
- LSU vs. Iowa money line: Tigers +135, Hawkeyes -160
- LSU: The Tigers average nearly eight more rebounds per game (47.2-39.6).
- Iowa: The Hawkeyes average almost six more assists per contest (21.1-15.2).
- LSU vs. Iowa picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Iowa can cover
Clark has been a one-woman wrecking crew with her shooting and passing. She also had eight assists and six rebounds while scoring 41 for the second straight game. She is scoring 32.2 per game in the NCAA Tournament after averaging 27.7 and a national-best 8.6 assists in the regular season. Friday's performance came against the nation's third-best scoring defense. Her 161 points in the five games are second only to Sheryl Swoopes' 177 (1993) for a single tournament. Clark scored or assisted on 58 points in the Final Four matchup, including every point in the fourth quarter.
Iowa leads the nation in scoring (87.6 points), shooting percentage (51.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.46). The Hawkeyes aren't known for their defense, but they held All-American Aaliyah Boston to eight points in the semifinal. Halting USC's 42-game win streak can only give them more confidence. Monika Czinano scored 18 points Friday, just over her 17.2 average, and had three steals. She will play a big role in the middle again Monday against Reese. Iowa is sixth in the nation in 3-point shooting at 37.86%, and Clark and McKenna Warnock (10.9 ppg) both hit close to 39% of their tries. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why LSU can cover
LSU is led by a proven winner in three-time national champion coach Kim Mulkey. They had missed the tournament four straight years before she left Baylor to lead the Tigers before last season. The Tigers have a more balanced offense and are better on the defensive end. They score almost 82 points per game and allow just 56.7, while Iowa yields almost 71 per contest. Reese tied a Division I record with her 33rd double-double of the season with 24 points and 12 rebounds in Friday's victory.
Reese also has experience against Iowa, as she scored 25 and had 13 boards for Maryland in an 81-69 victory last season. She transferred to LSU before this season. The Tigers outscored the Hokies 29-13 in the fourth quarter after falling behind by double digits. LSU has held every NCAA Tournament opponent under 40% shooting from the field. Their only victory by fewer than seven points in the tournament was a three-point triumph against second-seeded Utah in the Sweet 16. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make LSU vs. Iowa picks
Barzilai and Wetzel have taken an in-depth look at the LSU vs. Iowa matchup from all sides and made their top selections. They have a confident best bet locked in as well as a full breakdown of the matchup, and you can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So which best bet should you be all over in Iowa vs. LSU? Visit SportsLine right now to see which LSU vs. Iowa best bet you should be backing Sunday, all from the women's college basketball experts who are 406-255-5 on their picks this season.
