LSU vs Iowa Elite Eight March Madness matchup has fans desperately waiting for tip off with Angel Reese set to renew Caitlin Clark rivalry – a year after her infamous ring celebration

At a time when the popularity of women’s college basketball is near an all-time high, the biggest game of the year might not be the national championship, but rather the Elite Eight showdown between Iowa and LSU tonight .

It’s a rematch of last season’s national championship and, unfortunately, it’s played before we even reach the Final Four. But the interest in it could make it the most-watched women’s college basketball game in history.

The rematch, which begins in Albany, New York, tonight at 7:00 pm ET, will be close, with sportsbooks setting the lines at -1.5 in favor of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Two of the biggest names in the sport, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese, will renew their on-court rivalry that erupted in last year’s title clash.

Reese generated some controversy for his trash talk and gestures, including pointing at his ring finger and doing the John Cena “You can’t see me” hand movement.

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese will renew their rivalry in the Elite Eight on Monday night

It’s a rematch of last year’s title game where Reese and the Tigers beat Clark and the Hawkeyes.

But what defines part of this rivalry is Clark and Reese’s willingness to talk trash equally.

Clark, who this year became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history, has been seen shouting excited profanities in triumph throughout the tournament. Reese said goodbye to a fouling opponent and also pumped up the crowd in this version of March Madness.

While Reese received criticism in last year’s title game, Clark defended her. They both reiterated that they respect each other and that any perceived animosity is just a sign of their level of competitiveness.

‘Caitlin Clark and I don’t hate each other. I want everyone to understand that. It’s just a super competitive game,” Reese said Sunday in Albany.

‘Once I get between those lines, there are no friends. I have a lot of friends on the court that I talk to outside of the game, but when I get between those lines, we’re not friends.

‘We are not friends. I’m going to talk trash to you. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get in your head throughout the game, but after the game we can kick it.’

Clark said something similar: ‘Angel and I have always been great competitors. She obviously played in the Big Ten for a while to start her career, and that’s what makes women’s basketball so fun: You have great competition, and that’s what we’ve had all year. I think Angel would say the same.

The two are breaking down barriers and helping to change the definition of how female athletes “should” behave on the court. By displaying the same competitiveness that wouldn’t generate any arguments of bad sportsmanship on the part of the men, Clark and Reese could arguably be credited with a movement for future self-expression on the court.

Social media is primed for a game that will be competitive on the court, but could turn into something much darker when it comes to social media interactions.

But the reaction off the pitch could be very different.

Social media reaction to the game is likely to turn hostile. Sure, the play on the court could be a cause for that, but like last year’s title game, race could be a factor considering the very different ethnic makeups of the two teams. Of Iowa’s 14 players, three are black. Compare that to LSU, which has just two white players on its team of 12.

This is not intended to be a comment on bias in recruitment. Rather, it offers a broad picture of how the public can view the two teams before kickoff.

Jokes on social media about Twitter turning toxic and how this could turn into a ‘Race War 2’ show how this rivalry has been painted in the past. It might leave an ugly stain on this contest, but it won’t keep people away from their screens, as a game is worth more than the occasion suggests.

But the play on the court should be fantastic. Joining Clark are players like Hannah Stuelke and Gabbie Marshall. Reese will have Flau’jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow to run with.

And, of course, there are the coaches on the sidelines. Iowa has been led by Lisa Bluder for 24 years and is looking for a second chance at a title. LSU’s Kim Mulkey has been stealing a lot of headlines for her reactions to articles published about her or her team.

This shouldn’t be an Elite Eight game. It should be in the Final Four or the national championship. But that’s the luck of the draw. To fight for a title, they will have to face each other. Only time will tell who will come out on the other side.