Photo by Zach Boyden-Holmes/USA TODAY Network
When 9.9 million viewers tuned in to watch the 2023 NCAA women’s basketball title game, many compared it to the 1979 men’s college basketball finals. That contest began the career-long rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and is, to this day, the highest-rated NCAA championship game on record.
Fans never saw a rematch with both players still in college. Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark, however, will get a sequel.
Reese’s LSU Tigers square off against Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight on Monday night in one of the most highly anticipated college basketball games in recent memory. It’s projected to be close, with a point spread of -1.5 favoring Iowa.
Last year’s final wasn’t a nail-biter, as LSU led by 17 at halftime and never looked back, but there was drama. Reese taunted Clark towards the end of the game by pointing at her ring finger and doing a “you can’t see me” gesture, which some considered to be controversial, although Clark defended Reese after that game.
And that respect has been maintained throughout this season. “Me and Caitlin Clark don’t hate each other,” Reese said in a recent press conference.
Even as the two players try to clarify that they have no beef off the court, fans will certainly get riled up about the matchup. Let’s take a look at how the two stars of women’s college hoops compare in a few numerical metrics.
Ticket Sales
In 2022-23, the most recent season for which we have data Sporty‘s College Finance Database, the Iowa women’s basketball team made $1.44 million in ticketing revenue, topping LSU’s $974,000. The Hawkeyes ranked second in the nation in this category after placing just eighth the previous year—an indication of Clark’s rise in popularity. LSU, on the other hand, had already ranked sixth the season before Reese transferred to the school, which was head coach Kim Mulkey’s first year with the program.
With fans wanting to witness history as Clark broke record after record this season, it’s reasonable to assume that Iowa’s ticket sales took another leap this year.
Social Media
Reese and Clark each have more Instagram followers than any other player in this year’s tournament, man or woman, but the former is in a different stratosphere. Reese’s 2.7 million followers are more than double Clark’s 1.2 million. Reese gained a significant chunk of her following in the days following LSU’s 2023 championship victory, so an opportunity to grow their personal brand is just one more thing on the line in this year’s showdown.
Box Score
When it comes to scoring, there is no contest between the two superstars. Clark averaged 31.7 points per game this season en route to breaking the all-time NCAA scoring record. Reese’s 18.7 points per game were actually down from the previous year, as the Tigers added several new players to their roster, including Hailey Van Lith, a transfer from Louisville. Not to mention, Clark ranked 13th in efficiency among the 175 Division I players who averaged at least 15 points per game, whereas Reese was barely above average within that cohort.
Even in LSU’s 102-85 title game win last year, Clark outscored Reese 30 to 15.
Both players, however, excel in areas other than scoring. Clark led the nation in assists, while Reese was second in rebounding.
W/L Record
Reese’s fans, however, would tell you not to look at the box score, and instead look at the scoreboard. Her teams have a 4-0 record in direct head-to-head matchups versus Clark, including three while Reese was at Maryland, with all of those victories coming by double-digits.
More March Madness stories:
– ACC To Earn the Most of Any Conference since March Madness
–College Basketball’s Biggest Stars on Social Media Are Women
–March Madness Exile Pepperdine Makes the Most as Tourney Host
–UConn Banks on Basketball’s Value in Football-Driven NCAA
–JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo Lead Next Wave
