GREENVILLE, S.C. – LSU and Utah have been neck and neck all through most of Friday’s Candy Sixteen matchup in Bon Secours Area, however the Tigers in the end secured their first journey to the Elite Eight since 2008 with a 66-63 win over the Utes.

“I simply thought it was two heavyweights going at it, and that is what I instructed their coach after the sport,” stated second-year LSU Coach Kim Mulkey who, in her second season in Baton Rouge, has the Tigers on the doorstep of a Closing 4. “I stated, someone needed to win and someone needed to lose. We simply made a couple of extra performs.”

Coach Mulkey, who has the excellence as the one individual – males’s or ladies’s – with a nationwide championship as a participant, assistant coach and head coach, has now led groups to 11 Elite Eights as a head coach.

The Tigers are one win away from advancing to the Closing 4 in Dallas. LSU might want to undergo Miami on Sunday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN within the Elite Eight. This marks LSU’s ninth look within the Elite Eight. LSU final went to the Elite Eight in 2008, the identical 12 months the Tigers final superior to a Closing 4.

LaDazhia Williams scored a season-high 24 factors to guide the Tigers and Angel Reese,, who fouled out late, scored 17 and grabbed 12 rebounds. It was Reese’s thirty first double-double this season to tie the SEC report. Alexis Morris added 15 factors and made free throws down the stretch the shore up the victory.

“I am not able to go residence,” Williams stated. “We already know the place we need to go, and Angel getting in early foul hassle, I felt like I wanted to step up as a senior and simply be a pacesetter on the court docket and simply do what I can for my staff.”

For Utah Gianna Kneepkens led the best way with 20 factors and Isabel Palmer had 15. LSU restricted PAC 12 Participant of the 12 months Alissa Pili to 14 factors.

Utah and LSU threw punches backwards and forwards and neither staff ever stretched the lead bigger than eight. When LSU did acquire an eight-point benefit within the fourth quarter, Utah got here storming again to take the lead. Utah led by one, byut Morris grabbed an offensive rebound off a uncommon miss from Reese and drew a foul. Morris sank each free throws and LSU held on defensively to get the win.

The sport featured 12 lead adjustments and 11 ties.

LSU began the sport shortly, leaping out to a 13-6 lead, however Utah responded again with a 7-0 run to tie the ballgame with 1:30 left within the quarter. LaDazhia Williams put LSU again in entrance along with her first bucket of the sport, however the Utes got here down the ground and nailed a 3 to go in entrance. Reese hit one-of-two on the free throw line to tie the sport at 16 on the finish of the primary quarter.

Utah jumped out in entrance 19-16, flattening one other three on the primary play of the second quarter. Reese scored to make it a one-point sport, however quickly thereafter picked up her second foul and LSU went with a four-guard lineup as Reese went to the bench. With LSU struggling to make pictures, Utah went on a 6-0 run to construct a seven-point lead. Williams ended the run after she compelled Pili to choose up her second foul, however Williams quickly picked up her second, however Coach Mulkey opted to maintain the senior on the court docket. Morris hit a pull-up to convey the Tigers inside three going into the media timeout. Morris hit one other pull-up out of the timeout after which Williams drew a foul on a defensive rebound and tied the sport at 25, making one bonus free throw. Utah hit back-to-back triples with simply over a minute left within the half to take a 33-29 lead which is how the sport went into halftime.

Williams scored six early level within the third quarter as LSU tied Utah at 37. After two turnovers with alternatives to go forward, LSU Reese scored off an offensive rebound to provide the Tigers their first lead of the half. On the opposite finish, Kateri Poole dedicated her fourth foul and Pili made two free throws to tie the sport. Reese scored off one other offensive board and Pili hit a 3 on the opposite finish and Utah took a 42-41 lead into the media timeout. Williams gave LSU a 44-42 lead late within the third, tying her season excessive. After a made three by Utah, Morris hit a shot on the Buzzer and the Utes took a one-point lead into the ultimate quarter.

Poole, again within the sport, discovered Williams on a drive-and-dish as LSU took the result in begin the fourth. Reese left the sport with 7:52 left within the sport with obvious leg cramps, however she checked again into the sport after simply over 30 seconds of sport time with LSU in entrance, 50-47. Within the meantime, Flau’jae Johnson fouled out of the sport and Utah entered the bonus early within the quarter. With Utah again up two, Poole hit her second three of the sport for LSU to reclaim the lead. With a five-point lead, Morris hit her first triple as LSU took its largest lead of the sport.

With LSU now up seven, Utah went on a 9-0 run take the lead with simply over a minute remaining. With the rating holding regular, Morris went to the road with 10 seconds remaining and sank two free throws and LSU held on the defensive finish to clinch the win.