ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The stage is set for NCAA women's basketball tournament action in the Capital Region. All eight teams are here; practices have begun at MVP Arena; all that's left is for the highly-anticipated Albany Super Regional to tip-off Friday afternoon.

Iowa and superstar Caitlin Clark arrived at Million Air Albany at Albany International Airport Thursday just before 7:00 p.m. College basketball's all-time leading scorer and the top-seeded Hawkeyes will battle fifth-seeded Colorado on Saturday at 3:30 on NEWS10 ABC in the second Albany region of the bracket. The Buffaloes' plane touched down just prior to Iowa's.

But Clark wasn't the only star that rolled into the 518 Thursday. Opposite Colorado on the Million Air tarmac was the plane carrying defending national champion LSU, led by head coach Kim Mulkey, SEC Player of the Year Angel Reese and standout guard Hailey Van Lith. The Tigers' opponent, two-seeded UCLA, was the final team to arrive. Those two sides will square off Saturday in game one of Region 2, which will be played at 1:00 - also on ABC.

As for the four teams that were already in town - South Carolina, Notre Dame, Oregon State and Indiana, which comprise the Region 1 teams - all hit the practice floor at MVP Arena Thursday. Oregon State kicked off the practice schedule; the Beavers face Notre Dame Friday at 2:30 p.m. - the first matchup in Albany.

That game will be followed by the undefeated, top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks, who take on fourth-seeded Indiana in the nightcap at 5:00.

MVP Arena General Manager Bob Belber said last week he expects this to be the biggest NCAA event the arena has ever hosted in terms of economic impact. That's music to the ears of Oregon State head coach Scott Ruek.

"That just makes me happy to hear. That's what it should be," said Ruek. "That's what these athletes deserve. That's what the community deserves. It's bigger than us. It's people being aware of what's going on...it's like a big party."

Two-time national champion head coach Dawn Staley of South Carolina believes this recognition is long overdue.

"It's a double-edged sword," said Staley. "One [side] is - I've said it before - that it's been intentional to hold women's basketball back. It's no longer intentional because they see we're bursting at the seams. It's pretty cool to see us forcing our way into this space, and I just don't think we're gonna...slow down any time soon."

While a lot of the attention of this Super Regional is deservedly pointed towards Clark, Staley's South Carolina team is looking to enter rarified air. The Gamecocks have an opportunity to become just the 10th undefeated national champion team ever in women's basketball.

But the coaching legend has ensured that isn't on the minds of her players.

"They have zero idea. They have short memories. I mean...they only deal in the present, which is pretty cool. You don't have to talk them off of a ledge, because they're thinking [this] is gonna be an easy thing. They're thinking "one game at a time." Like, right now Indiana is the only team that matters at this point, because the margin of victory is so small at this stage of the game."

Clark and the reigning champs, LSU, will speak to the media Friday. Stay tuned to NEWS10 ABC for both previews of the Region 2 matchups and highlights of the Region 1 matchups.