BATON ROUGE – LSU advanced to its third consecutive Sweet 16 with a 101-71 win over Florida State Monday in the PMAC.
LSU is set to face NC State this weekend in the Spokane 1 Regional. The Tigers defeated the Wolfpack back in November, 82-65, in the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship.
The Tigers were led in scoring tonight by Mikaylah Williams, who finished with a game-high 28 points. Aneesah Morrow added 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists of her own, which was good for her 29th double-double of the season. Sa’Myah Smith put in a crucial performance down low for LSU as she posted a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds, while also adding six assists.
The nation’s leading scorer Ta’Niya Latson had 23 points for FSU, but most of her damage was done in the first half as LSU held her to just seven points in the second half.
FSU jumped out to an early 10-6 lead as the nation’s leading scorer, Latson, began the game scoring every point for the Seminoles. Johnson tied the game at 10 with a breakaway layup and after a defensive stop, Morrow pulled up from the right junction to give LSU its first lead. Williams knocked down her first three attempt another possession later as LSU marched on an 11-0 run to take a 17-10 lead and force an FSU timeout. LSU maintained a seven-point lead for the rest of the first quarter, 31-24. Latson scored 16 of FSU’s first quarter points and for LSU, both Morrow and Williams scored in double figures. Williams was 5-5 with two threes, but committed her second foul in the final minute of the quarter.
Within the first two minutes of the second quarter, FSU surged to take the lead, 34-33. The teams traded the lead back-and-forth three times, but LSU steadied its waters and Smith converted an and-one to go up, 40-36. Jada Richard got in the scorebook with a fastbreak lay to give LSU a 7-0 run and a six-point lead. The Seminoles came right back with the next five points to bring the game back within one and with just over a minute left in the half, FSU took the lead back. Richard gave LSU the lead back after the Tigers grabbed three offensive rebounds and LSU to a 50-49 lead into the break.
LSU started the second half on an 9-2 run, capped off by a fastbreak layup by Johnson where she drew a foul and forced FSU to take a timeout; Johnson converted the free throw after the break. Smith found Williams in the corner in transition for LSU to go up, 64-53 at the 6:30 mark and by the 5:22 mark, LSU stretched its lead to double figures and it did not take to bring it to 20. LSU ended the quarter on a 22-2 run to take an 81-55 lead into the fourth. Williams scored another 12 points in the third.
Everything was going right for LSU as the Tigers continued to surge to start the fourth. LSU extended its lead to over 30 points as the Tigers made seven of their first eight fourth quarter shots.
The game ended as LSU took a 101-71 victory.
Check back later for the full recap.
