Iowa will face LSU on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET) in Dallas for the NCAA women’s basketball championship. It’s not the matchup most would have predicted, not even a week ago before the Sweet 16 when the schools’ title odds were 10/1 or longer.
Led by National Player of the Year Caitlin Clark, the No. 2 seed Hawkeyes (31-6) stunned defending national champion South Carolina as an 11.5-point underdog in the Elite Eight, 77-73, snapping the Gamecocks’ 42-game unbeaten streak.
Meanwhile, the No. 3 seed Tigers (33-2) rallied from nine points down entering the fourth quarter to beat Virginia Tech, 79-72, and continue their resurgence under Hall of Fame coach Kim Mulkey.
Neither school has ever played for, let alone won, a national title. That’s about to change.
Read on for my Iowa vs. LSU prediction and Women’s CBB best bets for the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game.
Doug Bonjour’s March Madness Betting Record: 5-5 (EV units)
Iowa vs LSU Odds
Note: CBB odds mentioned in this article for Iowa vs LSU were used from DraftKings Sportsbook, unless otherwise noted, and are current as of Saturday, April 1 at 3:05 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Iowa (-155) • LSU (+135)
- Spread: Iowa -3.5 (-110) • LSU +3.5 (-110)
- Total: Over 160.5 (-110) • Under 160.5 (-110)
Iowa vs LSU Pick of the Day
Keep reading for more Iowa vs LSU betting tips.
Iowa vs LSU Prediction
Iowa 80, LSU 76
LSU dominated the paint against Virginia Tech, and Iowa — even though it contained South Carolina’s vaunted frontcourt — may struggle in that department. That said, I’m not sure the Tigers have an answer for Clark. Then again, who does?
Clark scored or assisted on every point in the fourth quarter of Iowa’s shocking upset. She is now averaging 32.2 points per game in the NCAA Tournament and is the only player in tournament history with back-to-back games of 40 points or more. This remarkable run will end with Iowa winning its first national title.
📈 Keep track of NCAA Tournament winner odds to find our best March Madness bets:
Iowa vs LSU Best Bets
Iowa -3.5 (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1.5 units
Iowa opened as a 1.5-point favorite, and the line has since grown to 3. Unless LSU star Angel Reese has a rare off game — she has notched six straight double-doubles and is averaging 22.6 points and 16.2 rebounds during the tournament – or doesn’t get much help from guard Alexis Morris, it should be close and come down to the fourth quarter.
Ultimately, I like Clark to make enough baskets down the stretch to put the Hawkeyes over the top.
Under 160.5 Total Points (-110) • DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 unit
LSU has the fifth-best offense in the nation, scoring an average of 81.7 points per game compared to Iowa’s NCAA-best 87.3.
Given how both teams like to push the pace and play a high-octane brand of basketball, we should be in for a lot of scoring. I’m just not sure about this much scoring.
The Tigers’ last nine games have gone under the current total. While I expect the Hawkeyes to dictate the tempo, much as they did against a slower, defensive-minded team in South Carolina, this still seems awfully high.
Iowa vs LSU Same Game Parlay
Women’s March Madness National Championship SGP (+264) • DraftKings Sportsbook
- Iowa -3.5 (-110)
- Under 160.5 Total Points (-110)
WAGER: 1 unit
Iowa has Clark. LSU doesn’t.
That’s really what it boils down to here. As difficult as it is to pick against Mulkey, who was 3-0 in NCAA title games at Baylor, Clark is a transcendent talent on a mission.
