25 minutes ago
LSU Athletics
Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
DALLAS – The No. 3-seeded LSU Tigers (33-2) pull off an unbelievable comeback to take down No. 1-seeded Virginia Tech (31-5) inside the American Airlines Arena 79-72 as they survive and advance to the National Championship.
The Tigers overcame a 12-point lead that saw a 16-0 run last over the end of the first half and the start of the third quarter. LSU came through when it mattered most by outscoring the Hokies 29-13 in the final quarter after starting the fourth down by nine.
LSU will play for a national championship in basketball for the first time in program history. LSU had previously reached five consecutive women’s Final Fours from 2004-08, but the Tigers never advanced past the national semifinal until this year.
Coach Kim Mulkey, in her second season at LSU, will serve as the head coach in a National Championship game for the fourth time in her career. She has won every such game she has coached, winning NCAA Championships at Baylor in 2005, 2012 and 2019. She will look to become the first NCAA DI Women’s Basketball Coach with NCAA Championships at multiple schools. Mulkey is already the first person – men’s or women’s – with NCAA DI Championships as a player, assistant coach and head coach.
LSU has pieced it together in Coach Mulkey’s second year at LSU, going to the national championship with nine new pieces (four freshmen and five transfers) and only one returning contributor in Alexis Morris.
Angel Reese had another record breaking performance as she scored 24 points and hauled in 12 rebounds to lead her team to the Championship in her first year as a Tiger.
Reese’s double-double was her 33rd of the season and ties the NCAA record for the most double-doubles in a single season.
Reese also broke two rebounding records with her 12 boards. Reese’s 545 rebounds this season breaks the all-time record for most rebounds in a single season for both LSU and in the entire Southeastern Conference (SEC).
Alexis Morris fulfilled her dream of ending her senior night in Dallas. The Texas native will play the last college basketball game of her lengthy career in her home state. Morris led LSU with 12 points in the first half and finished the night with 27.
Elizabeth Kitley led the Hokies with 18 points and 12 rebounds to be the only other player on the floor to secure a double-double. The two other players to score in double figures for VT were Kayana Traylor and Georgia Amoore, both with 17 points.
The Tigers held the lead all the way up until the final minute of the first half. The Hokies switched to a zone defense and finished on an 11-0 run to take a 34-32 lead into the break.
Virginia Tech stayed hot from deep and built up a nine point lead heading into the final quarter. When it mattered most LSU went on a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter and outscored the Hokies 29-13 to secure its spot in the championship.
Up Next
The Tigers will face the winner of South Carolina and Iowa. Sunday’s National Championship will air on ABC at 4:30 p.m. ET. The Women’s Basketball program will look to capture LSU’s 50th national championship as an athletics department.