In the first Final Four matchup on Friday night at American Airlines Center, No. 3 seed LSU will take on No. 1 seed Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Lady Tigers defeated No. 9 seed Miami 54-42 in the Elite Eight over the weekend to punch their ticket to the Final Four for the first time in 15 years. Senior guard Alexis Morris and outstanding sophomore forward Angel Reese were the only two players to score in double figures for LSU. Morris had a game-high 22 points (8-22 FG), along with four steals, two assists, and two steals. Meanwhile, Reese recorded another double-double with 13 points and a game-high 18 rebounds. Before taking down the upset-minded Hurricanes in the Elite Eight, the Tigers defeated the No. 2 seed Utah 66-63 in the Sweet 16 and had double-digit wins over No. 6 seed Michigan (66-42) and No. 14 Hawaii (73-50) in the first two rounds.
The Hokies join the Gamecocks as one of the two No. 1 seeds remaining in the men's and women's NCAA tournaments. Virginia Tech defeated No. 3 seed Ohio State in the Elite Eight behind excellent performances from junior guard Georgia Amoore and senior center Elizabeth Kitley. Kitley had 25 points, 12 rebounds, and three rebounds. Amoore recorded 24 points (7-19 FG, 4-14 3pt), four rebounds, and two assists. If Virginia Tech wants to play in the title game, Amoore and Kitley need to be on their A-game against Kim Mulkey and the Tigers. The Hokies opened up the NCAA tournament with a 25-point win over No. 16 seed Chattanooga before defeating No. 9 seed South Dakota State (72-60) in the second round and No. 4 seed Tennessee (73-64) in the Sweet 16.
Here's everything to know about betting on LSU vs. Virginia Tech in the 2023 Women's NCAA Tournament, including updated odds, trends, and our prediction for this Final Four matchup.
LSU vs. Virginia Tech odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM
The Lady Tigers are 1.5-point favorites over the Hokies heading into Friday night's Final Four contest. LSU enters this game on a four-game winning streak, while Virginia Tech has won 15 straight games. The OVER is worth tracking, as the Lady Tigers are averaging 81.8 points per game and the Hokies are scoring 72.4 points per game this season.
- Spread: LSU -1.5 (-115); Virginia Tech +1.5 (-105)
- Over/Under: OVER 133.5 (-110); UNDER 133.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: LSU -135; Virginia Tech +110
Betting trend to watch
The Lady Tigers are 2-2 against the spread during their NCAA Tournament run. LSU was a nine-point favorite over Miami (FL) in the Sweet 16, who were a perfect 3-0 ATS. However, the Lady Tigers won by 12 points and are defeating teams by an average of 15.5 points per game in the tournament.
LSU key players
The Lady Tigers are led by the trio of Angel Reese, Alexis Morris, and Flau'jae Johnson. Reese is one of the best players in women's college basketball, averaging 23.2 points and 15.7 points per game this season. In the NCAA tournament, Reese is recording 22.5 points, 17.3 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game. Morris is coming off a 21-point effort in the Elite Eight, making it the first time she had 20 or more points in a game since the SEC Tournament semifinals against Tennessee earlier this month (20 points). Finally, Johnson is averaging 11.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game this season.
Virginia Tech key players
The Hokies have four players scoring in double figures, led by ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley, who is averaging 18.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game this season. In the NCAA tournament, Kitley is producing 15.7 points, 12 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game (four games). However, she's not the only player who can do damage on the offensive end, as Georgia Amoore is the Hokies' best three-point shooter, averaging 3.3 threes made per game on 35 percent from beyond the arc. Along with those two players, LSU must watch out for Taylor Soule (11.1 PPG and 5.7 RPG) and Kayana Taylor (10.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 2.9 APG).
Best individual matchup: Angel Reese vs. Elizabeth Kitley
In the NCAA tournament, we usually focus on the guard play, but in this matchup, we will focus on two great front-court players in Reese and Kitley. Reese has been a double-double machine for LSU, recording an SEC record 32 double-doubles this season. To no one's surprise, the Tigers are 31-1 in those games this season, including the NCAA tournament. Meanwhile, Kitley has played excellent in the tourney, producing a double-double in three of the Hokies' past four games. The Lady Tigers and Hokies will have a tough task of keeping Kitley and Reese off the boards, especially Kitley, who has only had seven games with single-digit rebounds.
LSU vs. Virginia Tech stat to know
LSU has one of the best scoring offenses in the country, averaging 81.8 points per game. However, Virginia Tech plays tremendous defense, only allowing 57.1 points per game this season. LSU is also solid on the defensive end, allowing 56.1 points per game. If this game becomes a defensive battle, it could come down to the free-throw line, which benefits the Hokies (75.5 percent) and not the Lady Tigers (69.6).
LSU vs. Virginia Tech prediction
We know most fans are looking forward to Iowa and South Carolina, but this should be a great game between two well-coached teams. Kim Mulkey would love to see the Gamecocks in the National Title game after losing to them in the regular season. However, Kenny Brooks and the Hokies continue their magical run this year and squeak out a close win.
Prediction: Virginia Tech 68, LSU 65. Virginia Tech (+1.5) covers the spread, with the game going UNDER the total (133.5).
