NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament 2023: Top Storylines for Championship Game

The legend of Iowa Hawkeyes superstar Caitlin Clark has captivated anyone who has watched the 2023 NCAA women's basketball tournament.

Clark has a chance to cement her legacy as one of the all-time clutch performers and winners in the sport with a win in Sunday's national championship against the LSU Tigers.

Clark conquered her biggest obstacle yet in Friday's semifinals, as she led Iowa to a win over the South Carolina Gamecocks, who entered the contest at 36-0.

LSU does not come into Sunday's clash in Dallas with an unblemished record, but it has been difficult to beat in March.

The Tigers possess their own star in Angel Reese, a double-double machine who could wreak havoc in the paint, like South Carolina did against Iowa.

Clark and Reese have a similar goal in mind to win the first women's basketball national championship for their respective programs. Both programs are making their first appearance in the national championship.

Can Caitlin Clark Lead Iowa to One More Win?

Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 31: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes looks for an open pass as Brea Beal #12 of the South Carolina Gamecocks defends during the semifinals of the NCAA Womens Basketball Tournament Final Four at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Clark produced consecutive 41-point games to put Iowa in Sunday's final.

The junior guard had an answer for everything that South Carolina's defense threw at her in the national semifinals.

She made 48.7 percent of her field goals on Friday, which was her second-lowest total in the NCAA tournament.

Clark has found all sorts of ways to beat opponents in the NCAA tournament. She recorded a 41-point triple-double in the Elite Eight.

Clark comes into Sunday with 161 points, 52 assists and 29 rebounds in the Big Dance. She has one triple-double against the Louisville Cardinals and two more double-doubles. She had 12 assists in all of those performances.

The ability to score and pick apart a defense will be massive for Clark in her matchup with LSU.

The Tigers average 7.6 more rebounds per contest than the Hawkeyes, and their ability to limit any second-chance opportunities could be huge in their containment of Clark.

However, Iowa proved against South Carolina that a rebounding deficit does not matter in relation to the final score. South Carolina outrebounded Iowa 49-25, but the Hawkeyes were far more efficient with their shooting. Iowa shot 10.1 percent better than the No. 1 overall seed.

A fantastic offensive display, led by Clark, would be the perfect end to Iowa's fairytale run through the NCAA tournament.

Clark has already established herself as one of the best individual talents in women's basketball, and a win on Sunday to deliver Iowa's first title would vault her even further into superstardom.

Angel Reese, LSU Aiming for First Title in Program History

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DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 31: Angel Reese #10 of the LSU Lady Tigers dribbles against D'asia Gregg #11 of the Virginia Tech Hokies during the fourth quarter during the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

LSU has the combination of coach and star player that could be too much for Iowa to deal with.

Reese has been dominant in her own right in the NCAA tournament. The LSU forward has 113 points and 81 rebounds in five games.

Reese led LSU past a few teams with some of the best individuals in college basketball on them, including Elizabeth Kitley's Virginia Tech Hokies in the national semifinals.

The sophomore scored 24 points against Virginia Tech, but she does not have to score a ton of points for LSU to be successful.

Alexis Morris and Flau'jae Johnson both average over 11 points per game, and Alexis Morris chipped in 27 points on Friday. Iowa had one other player score in double figures alongside Clark on Friday.

The Tigers have the scoring depth to counter Clark's production, and they own the coaching advantage with Kim Mulkey, who won three titles with the Baylor Bears.

Mulkey was brought to LSU to win championships. LSU reached five previous Final Fours, but never advanced to the national championship game.

LSU can't rely on Reese's dominance in the paint to beat Iowa. South Carolina tried to control that area of the court and still lost.

The Tigers need Reese to perform at her best, and for the other scorers to show up like they did against Virginia Tech to absorb the threat posed by Clark.

They could also benefit from Mulkey's coaching experience in national title games, whether it be through a game plan to deal with Clark, or through the right decisions made in late-game scenarios.

A LSU win on Sunday would make nine of the last 11 championships won by three coaches: Mulkey, Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley.