Iowa vs LSU women's basketball history: H2H, records and more

It's Iowa against LSU in one of the most anticipated regional final matchups in women's basketball history. Caitlin Clark goes against the team that defeated her for the title last season. Pre-season No. 1 LSU gets one last chance to reach the heights forecast for it. Two elite programs will face each other with a Final Four appearance on the line.

All of the angles to this game are worth studying. History, past performance and program history could provide insight into tonight's results. With LSU and Iowa, a deep dive is certainly in order.

Iowa vs LSU women's basketball history

LSU got the best of Iowa a season ago, but the next battle looms for a trip to the Final Four.

Iowa began women's basketball in 1974. The university hired legendary coach C. Vivian Stringer in 1983. During her dozen seasons at Iowa, the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten title six times. In 1993, they reached the Final Four.

Lisa Bluder was hired in 2000, but Iowa had a Sweet 16 drought from 1996 to 2015. Bluder got Iowa to the Elite Eight in 2019 and then successfully recruited Caitlin Clark. With Elite Eight runs in the last two seasons and an NCAA title game appearance in 2023, this is the most successful era in Iowa women's basketball history.

Prior to Clark, legendary Iowa players included the only two Hawkeyes with their numbers retired: Michelle Edwards (1985-88) and Megan Gustafson (2015-19).

LSU started women's basketball play in 1975. Sue Gunter came to LSU in 1982 and built the team up in a Tennessee-dominated SEC. In her final season, 2003-04, LSU made its first-ever Final Four.

Gunter's assistant, Pokey Chatman, took LSU to the Final Four in each of the next three seasons. Chatman was replaced by Van Chancellor, who took LSU to the 2008 Final Four.

So, in five consecutive seasons, LSU reached the Final Four. In each Final Four, the Tigers lost in the semifinal game. LSU hadn't been to another Final Four since 2008 until last season. Kim Mulkey came to LSU in 2021 and led her team to the NCAA crown.

Mulkey's Tigers went 34-2 last year and bested Iowa in the NCAA final. The two retired numbers in LSU women's history are Seimone Augustus (2002-06) and Sylvia Fowles (2004-08).

Iowa vs LSU women's basketball H2H

In the series between the two teams, they have a 2-2 series tie. The home team won the three games between the teams, who met at LSU in 1985 and Iowa in 1987 and 1990. That was the last meeting until the 2023 NCAA Tournament finals, which LSU nabbed 102-85.

Notable record in the Iowa vs LSU series

While five Tigers scored double figures in the 2023 Tournament meeting with Iowa, senior guard Jasmine Carson had the most spectacular game. The 5-foot-10 Carson was on her third school with LSU, having played also at Georgia Tech and West Virginia. A career 6.6 points-per-game scorer, Carson got red-hot.

Carson had started the season playing significant minutes, but in the entire NCAA Tournament, she had 11 total points. In her last three games before the title game, Carson shot zero for six. But against Iowa, Carson nailed five of six 3-point shots and totaled a game-high 22 points in just 22 minutes of play.

When was the last time LSU beat Iowa?

The last time LSU defeated Iowa was in the title game, a 102-85 win on April 2, 2023. The Tigers shot 54% and made 11 of 17 3-point attempts (64.7%).

When was the last time Iowa beat LSU?

It was on November 25, 1990. LSU was ranked No. 19 in the nation, but Iowa won the home game 73-65.

Caitlin Clark stats vs. LSU

As noted above, Clark had 30 points in the meeting last year. She shot nine for 22, including eight for 19 from 3-point range. Clark had two rebounds and eight assists to go with her six turnovers. She finished the game with four fouls but played 35 minutes.

Angel Reese stats vs. Iowa

The LSU star had a solid double-double in the previous meeting. Reese shot just five for 12 but had 15 points and 10 rebounds. She added five assists, three steals and a block. Reese had three fouls and played 29 minutes in the victory.