LSU vs. Iowa, women's national championship betting odds

The LSU women's basketball team advanced to the first national title game in history with its Final Four victory over Virginia Tech on Friday night in Dallas, then seemingly caught a break when Iowa upset unbeaten juggernaut South Carolina in the second semifinal.

But the Tigers are still underdogs, according to the opening line released in the market. Iowa is favored by 1½ points in a game between two programs who have never before played for a national title. Iowa is a slight -115 favorite on the money line, with LSU at -105.

The game's over/under, the line set for the teams' combined number of points, is 162½. Only three LSU games all season have gone over that total, and just one — a 90-79 victory at Florida on Feb. 19 — since the new year.

LSU made history in their 79-72 win over Virginia Tech in the Final Four and is in the NCAA championship game for the first time in Kim Mulkey’s second year as coach. The Tigers had their best offensive game of the NCAA tournament, with Alexis Morris leading the charge with 27 points and Angel Reese scoring 24.

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark had 41 points in the second game, a national semifinal record, as the Hawkeyes upset the undefeated Gamecocks 77-73 as 11-point underdogs.