The Albany 2 region offers several key rematches

Fasten your seatbelt; the Albany 2 region of the bracket is about to take us on a wild ride. Caitlin Clark and Iowa headline the show, securing the one-seed in the region as the No. 2 team in the country. Iowa’s stock has been rising over the last four years, and with Clark becoming the all-time NCAA leading scorer, she has appeared in national advertising campaigns and secured her status as a celebrity and household name. We know what Iowa is looking to do – return to the National Championship game and win it all. Iowa lost to LSU in the National Championship, and all eyes are on the Hawkeyes as they attempt to return to the national championship and win it all.

But it isn’t going to be easy for Iowa, or any team, to leave that quadrant and make it to Cleveland. Albany is the land of rematches. Assuming Iowa wins its first game, the Hawkeyes would face either Princeton or West Virginia. Princeton only lost four teams this season and are led by experienced players - holding opponents to 56 points a game. The Tigers have beat five-seed Oklahoma and pushed then No. 3 and current two-seed to the edge. With West Virginia, Head Coach Mark Kellogg called out Clark, saying to his team, “Let’s win one, and let’s send Caitlin Clark packing.”

If Iowa wins, the Hawkeyes could face a potential rematch with four-seed Kansas State or Colorado. Earlier this season, Iowa split the series with Kansas State in November. Playing five-seed Colorado would result in a rematch with the Buffs, too. Iowa defeated Colorado in the Sweet Sixteen last year.

In the bottom half of the region, two-seed UCLA, three-seed LSU, six-seed Louisville, and seven-seed Creighton will be fighting for the next game. This means there is a potential for Iowa to play LSU in the Elite Eight. It’s a National Championship rematch that people are begging for. Don’t forget that LSU won it all as a three-seed last year.

But for the rematch of all rematches to happen. LSU will likely need to defeat Louisville. LSU versus Louisville could provide fans with the storyline of LSU player Haley Van Lith facing off her old team. Van Lith transferred to the Tigers after Louisville lost to, you guessed it, Iowa in the Elite Eight last year.

If things get really funky, LSU could face Colorado. LSU entered the season ranked No. 1 and lost on opening day to…Colorado. Plus, twelve-seeded Drake was once coached by now-Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder. If Creighton pulls off a few upsets, then, well, they are the team that knocked Iowa out two years ago.

None of these potentials feature teams in the same conference, which makes the familiarties even more exciting. Regardless, the team that emerges from the Albany 2 region will be battle-tested heading to the Final Four.