Tigers to the Sweet 16!

LSU dominates Florida State to advance to Spokane

For the third year in a row, the LSU women’s basketball team is advancing to the Sweet 16 after the Tigers absolutely dominated Florida State 101-71 Monday evening inside the PMAC.

LSU’s scored 100+ points in its two games in the NCAA Tournament. LSU scored a program tournament record 103 points Saturday night against San Diego State and had a real shot at tying or breaking that record Monday.

Believe it or not, the game was much closer than the score appeared to be, especially in the first half. Florida State’s Ta’Niya Latson, the NCAA’s leading scorer, and LSU’s Mikaylah Williams traded baskets all throughout the first half and the Tigers went into the break clinging to a 50-49 lead.

I’m not sure what Kim Mulkey or her staff said to her players at halftime, but whatever it was the Tigers took it to heart because LSU outscored Florida State 31 to SIX in the quarter. Not 26 points, not 16 points, six (6) points. The Noles shot 3-17 in the third quarter.

Florida State might have had the best player on the court in Latson, but LSU had the second, third, fourth, and fifth best. What’s been the theme for LSU in its losses this year? Depth or rather a lack thereof. How many times have I written the words “LSU’s Big 3 couldn’t keep up with the other team going eight or nine deep?” It’s only fitting that LSU’s apparently blossoming depth is what ended Florida State’s season.

Mikaylah Williams led LSU with 28 points and was a perfect 3-3 from three and 5-5 at the free throw line. Aneesah Morrow, playing in her final game ever inside the PMAC, not only had a double-double, but flirted with a triple-double: 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists; Flau’Jae Johnson was limited to about 20 minutes of playing time but finished the evening with 13 points.

Those stat lines are all well and good. They’re classic performances by LSU’s Big 3. To me, however, the star of Monday night was Sa’Myah Smith who played her best game as a Tiger: 20 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals just for good measure. Per LSU she and Morrow are the first post tandem in NCAA Tournament history to have 20-point double-doubles and five assists in a single game.

LSU moved the ball in a truly historic way Monday night. The Tigers were credited with an NCAA Tournament single game record 29 assists on 41 made baskets.

“Winning and having everybody score the ball and contribute is just a lot more fun and it takes you a long way,” Kim Mulkey said. “I say this in the playoffs: Everybody has got to be on the same page. And I feel like two games we’ve proven we’re on the same page.”

You don’t just “accidentally” score 100 points in an NCAA Tournament game, and LSU’s done it in back-to-back games. In fact, they’ve gone over 100 in three of its last four games dating back to the SEC Tournament.

You also don’t just accidentally beat teams in this tournament by 55 and 30 points either. Yes LSU was the hosting team and the higher seed in both games against San Diego State and Florida State, but it’s been a real long time since we’ve seen them look this good and if they can keep it up, they might be the team nobody wants to play.

“We don’t play to just get to a Sweet 16 at LSU women’s basketball anymore,” Mulkey said. “Not that we take it for granted, but our goal every year is just to make a run and see if you can get to another Final Four and see if you can upset somebody you’re not supposed to upset. We weren’t talked about at all when we won it two years ago. So let’s go see what we can do.”

Up next LSU heads west to Spokane for a Sweet 16 date with NC State. A time and date have yet to been announced. LSU beat the Wolfpack by 17 points earlier this year in the Bahamas.