Why LSU women's basketball can/can't reach Final Four in 2024 March Madness predictions

BATON ROUGE — Coaches say all the time they want their teams to be playing their best basketball of the season when it gathers to take in the Selection Sunday broadcast.

In many cases, what seed gets revealed by the team's name doesn't matter. It's the mood, attitude and performance of the team that plays the largest role in how the team can position itself for a deep run in March Madness.

Kim Mulkey very much feels that way for her LSU women's basketball team as it enters the NCAA Tournament.

'Storms into the tournament' may be a more accurate description for the Tigers (28-5), who landed a No. 3 seed on Sunday.

LSU will open the NCAA Tournament against Rice (19-14) inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and, if it wins, would face the winner of No. 6 Louisville (24-9) and No. 11 Middle Tennessee (29-4) in the second round.

Can the Tigers make a run at another NCAA title? Here are a few reasons why they can and can't get back to the Final Four.

Kim Mulkey, LSU women's basketball have turned it up for March Madness

After a pair of head-scratching losses at Auburn and at Mississippi State that sandwiched a close home loss to No. 1 South Carolina, LSU didn't lose the rest of the way in the regular season.

During that stretch, the Tigers beat six teams that ultimately made the NCAA Tournament — one of those teams, Auburn, twice.

While LSU has dealt with some injuries of late to freshman sensation Mikaylah Williams and junior Last-Tear Poa, it has found ways to play better with an even shorter bench, which is what you might need to do in some games in March if you get into foul trouble.

LSU stars Angel Reese, Flau'jae Johnson are perfect leaders for team's run

A big part of why LSU is playing its best basketball right now and why the team hasn't felt the effects of being down Williams and Poa has been the play of stars Angel Reese and Flau'jae Johnson.

This time of year, teams will need to lean on its stars and LSU has two that are capable of taking over games if and when the matchup dictates.

Reese, the SEC Player of the Year, has recorded 12 straight double-doubles and is one of the top scorers in women's basketball at 19 points per game.

Johnson has scored 14.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season. Johnson has been tasked with not only scoring and rebounding the ball but has been tasked with slowing down the opponent's top offensive threat, a role she's thrived in to this point.

Why LSU can't reach Final Four: Fatigue, short bench catches up to it

Mulkey has rolled with a short bench all season long. LSU's starters have all averaged more than 30 minutes per game. And with Williams and Poa missing time of late, if they can't go, LSU's starters are going to be forced to play deeper in some games.

All LSU has on the bench are players with very little-to-no experience of the NCAA Tournament.

If the Tigers find themselves in tight NCAA Tournament games and with quick turnarounds on the scheduling, it's possible fatigue and wear-and-tear could contribute to a stumble along the way.

LSU runs into a red-hot Caitlin Clark, Iowa team

Iowa senior star point guard Caitlin Clark dropped a 30 burger on LSU in the national title game. Make no mistake, Clark is going to get hers.

Teams have not been able to slow down the NCAA's all-time leading scorer and there's no reason to think that the Tigers can.

Iowa would be playing LSU with revenge on its mind and that extra motivation could lead to the Hawkeyes climbing that mountain and knocking off LSU.

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There were worse No. 1-seed matchups for the Tigers than Iowa. Their path to the Elite Eight, where they would set up the rematch of last year's NCAA championship game, is ideal with a second round matchup with a struggling No. 6 Louisville team before possibly meeting No. 2 UCLA in the Sweet Sixteen, a team that LSU matches up with really well.

Against Clark and the Hawkeyes, the Tigers' best path to get past them would be to hinder anyone else outside of Clark from getting going. Gabbie Marshall and Sydney Affolter are lethal shooters from deep. Reese holds the advantage against Hannah Stuelke inside. If the Tigers can prevent those key Iowa players from finding a rhythm, Mulkey's team gets back to the Final Four.

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU women in Final Four? Prediction for 2024 March Madness, NCAAs