The Aneesah Morrow Game
The phrase “Survive and advance” was coined by legendary North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano and it’s only fitting that the No. 3 seed Tigers (31-5) adopted that mantra in eliminating the No. 2 seed Wolfpack (28-7).
LSU fought tooth and nail to earn its third consecutive trip to the Elite 8 with an 80-73 win over NC State Friday night in Spokane thanks in large part to Aneesah Morrow playing the game of her life.
When LSU had to have it most, Morrow delivered with an unstoppable 30 point, 19 rebound effort. She even added in three steals and a pair of blocks just for fun.
While Morrow did most of the heavy lifting, it was Mikaylah Williams who got LSU across the finish line. Williams, who finished the night with 19 points, scored 10 over the final 4:19 and assisted on another two.
The two points that Williams assisted on over that stretch went to Sa’Myah Smith who, once again, had another dominant outing. Smith finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, and her emergence in this Tournament might be the single biggest reason LSU’s made it to the Elite 8…and possibly beyond.
Things got off really well for LSU in Friday’s win. The Tigers claimed a 23-15 lead after the first quarter, with all 23 points coming from Morrow (9), Smith (8), and Williams (6). LSU was also moving the ball pretty well with six assists on 10 made baskets, and nearly doubled up NC State on the glass (16-9).
The second quarter, however, was won by NC State and the Wolfpack outscored LSU by 12 points. NC State won the quarter 25-13 thanks in large part to Zamareya Jones erupting for 11 points off the bench. While LSU was outscored by 12 points, it could have been a lot worse had it not been for Kailyn Gilbert stepping up and contributing seven points on a perfect 3-3 shooting.
Monday evening LSU was in a tight game with an ACC school, Florida State and dominated the third quarter 31-6. The Tigers found themselves in a similar spot on Friday, and while LSU didn’t obliterate NC State the same way they did to the Noles, they still ended up winning the quarter. It also helps that after shooting two free throws in the entire first half—despite being so aggressive in the paint—LSU finally started getting the calls it had been deserving of and hit 5-7 free throws in the third.
The fourth quarter was a tale of two halves as the old adage goes. NC State was the better team for the first few minutes, but LSU took over in crunch time.
The Wolfpack went into the final frame trailing 57-53, but went on a 12-3 run to grab a five-point lead with about six minutes to go. Morrow was the great equalizer in keeping LSU from being in a hole too deep to overcome, and Williams got the Tigers home.
If there was any doubt that Kim Mulkey is worth every penny, LSU’s success in March under her watch erases that. LSU’s been a hosting team in each of her four years here, have won at least one game every year, and for the third consecutive season they’ll be one of the last eight programs standing. Sprinkle in a national title in 2023 and you have the most successful run the program’s been on since making five straight Final Fours in the mid 2000s.
LSU will play the winner of No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 5 Ole Miss Sunday at 2:00 P.M. CT on ABC. Here’s hoping that 48 hours from now, the Tigers will have cut down the nets and advanced to its seventh Final Four.