The first round of the 2024 Women’s March Madness is beginning today with major clashes on the cards. One of the fiery-as-hell regions, Albany 2, also has some interesting games today, beginning with the defending champions LSU. They will be hosting 14th seed Rice today at 4 pm at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge. While superficially it may seem like there’s no challenge in this one, LSU needs all the caution to avoid a slip.

While LSU is the 2023 NCAA champ, it will need all the horsepower it can get to accelerate through this uphill Albany 2 region. Their first competitors in Owls had a 19-14 record, but boast an AAC conference champion title this year. Nevertheless, the purple and gold seems to be everyone’s favorite for this matchup. While they lost the SEC championship tournament, their opponent was also no less in South Carolina.

How are the players looking for the first-round teams?

While there is no known injured player in the Owls pack, their competitor for the day is missing an arm. The Tigers roster is lacking its junior guard Last-Tear Poa, which may or may not be a danger for them. She has not been cleared to play for now, but the Lady Tigers could surely use her help. Let us look at the starting lineup for both the teams.

The Tigers will begin with their top five scorers. Their All-American forward Angel Reese will come out on the floor first. Along with her will be Aneesah Morrow, Mikaylah Williams, Flau’jae Johnson, and Hailey Van Lith to break the opponents. On the other side of the hardwood will be Rice’s forward Malia Fisher. Other Owls on the floor will be Dominique Ennis, Destiny Jackson, Jazzy Owens-Barnett, and Emily Klaczek.

Read More- What Does March Madness Road Look Like for Angel Reese and LSU after Selection Sunday?

Even with Poa unavailable, the ever-so-quick Tigers plan on displaying a balanced game with both their offensive and defensive aspects in great forms. Here are the team stats for better insight.

LSU vs Rice: Predicting the game outcome with the numbers

The Tigers have shown an immaculate defensive front this year around and have a glittering 28-5 record. Currently, they average 86.7 ppg, shooting 46.7% from the field and 74.9% from the free throw line. Their scoring numbers put them in the second spot right after their archnemesis Iowa. Apart from these numbers, they also shine brighter compared to Rice with 16.5 assists.

Defensively, the Tigers grab 46.5 rebounds and 10.8 steals, and make 5.5 blocks per game. Further, they are 27th in the nation for defending field goals with 36.7% OPP. Angel Reese brings her impressive offensive and defensive skills to the table for the Tigers. She is currently contributing 19 points and 13.1 rebounds per game.

On the other hand, the Owls grab 67.4 ppg and have a shooting accuracy of 40.1%. They average 37.6 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 8.2 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game. Malia Fisher leads their roster with 13.1 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. Their senior guard Destiny Jackson has also made some waves with 11.2 ppg, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists.

Nevertheless, the Tigers have shown that they can reign over the hardwood with their undeniable chemistry. They are also the projected favorites to advance to the next round. Further, their higher digits also make this game a one-sided affair.

Both teams are ready to bring out their best games today. We will soon watch the two teams grab each other by the neck and give us their best. With a sold-out arena, we can look forward to an interesting knockout game in this March Madness.

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