WOMENS BASKETBALL
Louisiana State 80, North Carolina State 73
ASSOCIATED PRESS
SPOKANE, Wash. - Aneesah Morrow had 30 points and 19 rebounds, Kailyn Gilbert had a critical block that set up Mikaylah Williams’ go-ahead layup with 1:07 remaining, and No. 3 seed LSU rallied past second-seeded N.C. State 80-73 in a tense women’s NCAA Tournament regional semifinal on Friday.
The Wolfpack led 69-64 with 4:29 left before LSU began to surge, led by Williams, who scored 10 points in the fourth quarter. After Gilbert blocked a layup attempt by N.C. State’s Zoe Brooks, Williams converted on the other end to make it 74-73 — part of a game-closing 10-0 run for the Tigers (31-5).
Sa’Myah Smith had 21 points and 11 rebounds for LSU, and Williams finished with 17 points and eight boards.
Brooks led N.C. State (28-7) with 21 points. Coach Wes Moore’s Wolfpack fell short in their bid to reach a second straight Final Four.
The game featured seven lead changes and four ties, and LSU’s 21-10 advantage in the first quarter was the biggest lead for either team. Morrow had 10 points in the first period.
N.C. State surged back ahead to take a 40-36 halftime lead, and Morrow again dominated in the third quarter, scoring 11 of her team’s 21 points in the period to put LSU ahead 57-53.
NC State opened the fourth quarter with an 8-1 run. The Wolfpack held LSU without a field goal until Morrow made a layup with just over seven minutes to play.
DOUBLE DOUBLE GALORE
Morrow, the nation’s top rebounder, had her 30th double-double of the season. Her effort on the boards helped the Tigers outrebound the Wolfpack 52-36, including an 18-10 advantage on the offensive glass.
The 6-foot-1 forward is one of two women in NCAA history with more than 100 double-doubles. She’s also the only player in the country with more than 600 points and 450 rebounds this season.
March 28, 2025