- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 408,948
- Reaction score
- 43
In a back-and-forth contest, LSU women's basketball prevailed and punched its ticket to the Elite Eight. The No. 3 seeded Tigers knocked off the second-seeded NC State 80-73 in Friday's Sweet Sixteen.
Aneesah Morrow, Sa'Myah Smith, and Mikaylah Williams combined to score all but 10 of LSU's points. Williams finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists on a night when Flau'Jae Johnson struggled to score.
Morrow and Smith notched double-doubles as their streak of strong postseason play continues. Morrow led in all facets, totaling 30 points, 19 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Smith matched her career high with 21 points and added 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
LSU started fast as Smith kicked down three mid-range jumpers and Morrow drained two triples. The Tigers led by double digits in the first quarter but saw it slip away quickly in the second. NC State found a rhythm penetrating the paint and from deep, taking a four-point lead into the break.
Both teams exchanged buckets throughout the third quarter. Just as the momentum seemed to be on the Wolfpack's side with Zoe Brooks scoring at will, the Tigers took over. They ended the game on a 10-0 run thanks to foul shots from Williams and Smith.
Here's what head coach Kim Mulkey had to say following her team's win.
Under Mulkey, LSU is making its third straight trip to the Elite Eight. When asked where this year stacks up against those of the past, Mulkey highlighted the players on her team who haven't made it this far in their careers. Transfers Jersey Wolfenbarger, Shayeann Day-Wilson, Kailyn Gilbert, and Mjracle Sheppard alongside freshmen Jada Richard make the experience special for the veteran head coach.
"That's what excites you as a coach, is having players experience something for the first time and you don't take it for granted."
LSU played in some close games this season but the stakes haven't been higher. With the season on the line, LSU's leadership at all positions and competitive mindset got the job done, according to Mulkey.
"This has been a team that's won a lot of close games," Mulkey said. "I think part of it is seniors. Another part of it is leaders... and the third part of it is competitors."
"I'd like to relax on that sideline and let them relax but when you get to this level, there's too many good teams."
In a game that went down to the wire, NC State couldn't make enough shots down the stretch and needed to foul to stop the clock. The Tigers drained all six of their attempts to put the game out of reach, ending the Wolfpack's season and their chance to make a second-straight trip to the Final Four.
"Maddie Cox, her older sister won a national championship for me at Baylor," Mulkey said. "She had a good game today. I know that family very well and what I said to her was, 'this is the part of the game none of us like, Maddie. Get your head up.'"
"Saniya Rivers, just told her what a great player she was. I've been through that line when you've lost."
"I think the world of [NC State head coach] Wes Moore. There are certain coaches in your profession you don't like coaching against because they're really, really good and he is as a coach but he's a really good man."
Without Johnson, LSU's frontcourt duo carried the weight on both ends of the floor. Mulkey continues to be impressed by both and hopes they continue to have success.
"I would say Sa'Myah is playing very confident and Sa'Myah is quietly just doing her job and somewhat doing everybody else's job."
"When we'd get beat tonight on dribble penetration and they would come off that screen at the top, she altered shots, she blocked shots, she got rebounds. She's just becoming more coverable."
"[Morrow] is an undersized post player in there battling bigger girls, demanding the ball, guarding on the perimeter. She's just one of those kids that she plays that hard in practice every day."
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Four things Kim Mulkey said after LSU's Sweet 16 win over NC State
Continue reading...
Aneesah Morrow, Sa'Myah Smith, and Mikaylah Williams combined to score all but 10 of LSU's points. Williams finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists on a night when Flau'Jae Johnson struggled to score.
Morrow and Smith notched double-doubles as their streak of strong postseason play continues. Morrow led in all facets, totaling 30 points, 19 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Smith matched her career high with 21 points and added 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
LSU started fast as Smith kicked down three mid-range jumpers and Morrow drained two triples. The Tigers led by double digits in the first quarter but saw it slip away quickly in the second. NC State found a rhythm penetrating the paint and from deep, taking a four-point lead into the break.
Both teams exchanged buckets throughout the third quarter. Just as the momentum seemed to be on the Wolfpack's side with Zoe Brooks scoring at will, the Tigers took over. They ended the game on a 10-0 run thanks to foul shots from Williams and Smith.
Here's what head coach Kim Mulkey had to say following her team's win.
Sweet Sixteen win feels different for LSU
Under Mulkey, LSU is making its third straight trip to the Elite Eight. When asked where this year stacks up against those of the past, Mulkey highlighted the players on her team who haven't made it this far in their careers. Transfers Jersey Wolfenbarger, Shayeann Day-Wilson, Kailyn Gilbert, and Mjracle Sheppard alongside freshmen Jada Richard make the experience special for the veteran head coach.
"That's what excites you as a coach, is having players experience something for the first time and you don't take it for granted."
Experienced players carry Tigers to victory
LSU played in some close games this season but the stakes haven't been higher. With the season on the line, LSU's leadership at all positions and competitive mindset got the job done, according to Mulkey.
"This has been a team that's won a lot of close games," Mulkey said. "I think part of it is seniors. Another part of it is leaders... and the third part of it is competitors."
"I'd like to relax on that sideline and let them relax but when you get to this level, there's too many good teams."
Mulkey consoles NC State players following loss
In a game that went down to the wire, NC State couldn't make enough shots down the stretch and needed to foul to stop the clock. The Tigers drained all six of their attempts to put the game out of reach, ending the Wolfpack's season and their chance to make a second-straight trip to the Final Four.
"Maddie Cox, her older sister won a national championship for me at Baylor," Mulkey said. "She had a good game today. I know that family very well and what I said to her was, 'this is the part of the game none of us like, Maddie. Get your head up.'"
"Saniya Rivers, just told her what a great player she was. I've been through that line when you've lost."
"I think the world of [NC State head coach] Wes Moore. There are certain coaches in your profession you don't like coaching against because they're really, really good and he is as a coach but he's a really good man."
Morrow, Smith put up big numbers again
Without Johnson, LSU's frontcourt duo carried the weight on both ends of the floor. Mulkey continues to be impressed by both and hopes they continue to have success.
"I would say Sa'Myah is playing very confident and Sa'Myah is quietly just doing her job and somewhat doing everybody else's job."
"When we'd get beat tonight on dribble penetration and they would come off that screen at the top, she altered shots, she blocked shots, she got rebounds. She's just becoming more coverable."
"[Morrow] is an undersized post player in there battling bigger girls, demanding the ball, guarding on the perimeter. She's just one of those kids that she plays that hard in practice every day."
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Four things Kim Mulkey said after LSU's Sweet 16 win over NC State
Continue reading...
