Reese, LSU rumble past Michigan and onto Sweet 16

BATON ROUGE – LSU all-American Angel Reese scored 25 points and pulled down 24 rebounds – 14 on the offensive end – to propel the Tigers to the Sweet 16, 66-42, over No. 6-seed Michigan on Saturday night in front of 10,108. Maravich Center.

Reese, who posted the second 20/20 game in program NCAA Tournament history, also had six blocked shots and improved his NCAA free throw stats with a 9-for-11 performance. Her 24 rebounds were a program record for a postseason game, bettering Sylvia Fowles’ 20 rebounds and 24 points in the 2008 Women’s Final Four.

In its 29th NCAA Tournament appearance, third-seeded LSU (30-2) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the 14th time.

LSU will face No. 2-seed Utah on Saturday, March 24, in Greenville, SC
Game times and network television assignments for the regional semifinals will be announced Monday.

After falling in the second round of the NCAA to end his first season at LSU in 2021-22, LSU Head Coach Kim Mulkey led the Tigers to the next stage of the NCAA tournament in his 800th college basketball game.

LSU won its 30th game of the season for the first time since 2008 and the seventh time in school history.

In addition to Reese, LSU guard Alexis Morris scored 11 points, while forward LaDazhia Williams added a double-double of her own with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jasmine Carson had nine points on three three-pointers during an 11-0 second half run that distanced the Tigers from Michigan.

LSU shot 35.3 percent (24 of 68), but used a 46-26 rebound advantage to dominate the Wolverines.

Michigan (23-10) was led by guard Laila Phelia, who had 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting including three threes. Wolverines held a season low for scoring, including seven points in the first quarter, 15 points in the first half and 42 in the game.

Reese took an accidental elbow to the mouth less than a minute into the contest, cutting his upper lip and sending him to the bench to stop the bleeding. He missed with 2:24 left in the action and came back to give LSU a 6-2 lead with his second layup a period later.

A left-wing three-pointer by Phelia at the 4:29 mark was the Wolverines’ final score of the first quarter, as Reese scored four points to give LSU a 12-7 lead after 10 minutes of action despite a team-high 5-of-21 shooting. shooting. LSU outrebounded Michigan in the quarter, 17-7.

An 11-0 second quarter run by LSU proved to be the difference in the contest. After Michigan scored its first basket of the period, LSU’s Jasmine Carson responded with a three-pointer and the Tigers led 23-9 with 6:21 left in the half.

With a pair of layups, Reese completed his 30th double-double of the season, this time before the break.

LSU led Michigan, 30-15, at halftime. Despite shooting 29.3 percent from the field (12 of 41) in the half, LSU used a 15-1 advantage in offensive rebounds for 12 second-chance points. Michigan managed just 7-of-21 shooting and had nine turnovers for its lowest point total in a half this season (previously 22).

Michigan closed the gap to 10 on a three-pointer by Leigha Brown and a layup by Cameron Williams with 6:10 left in the third period but LSU responded with a 10-2 run to end the quarter. The Tigers increased their margin to 16 after three quarters, 47-31.

The fourth quarter was pure cosmetic for the Tigers, who made 7-of-11 field goals and outscored Michigan in the final 10 minutes, 19-11.

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LSU will face No. 2-seed Utah in the Sweet 16 on Saturday, March 24 in Greenville, SC

Game times and network television assignments for the regional semifinals will be announced Monday.