Understudies end LSU’s season
One year ago, National Player of the Year Caitlin Clark ended LSU’s season in the regional finals of the NCAA tournament.
Clark scored 41 points and handed out 12 assists in Iowa’s seven-point victory over the Tigers.
On Sunday afternoon, top-seed UCLA with its star post player Lauren Betts was LSU’s opponent in another Elite 8 game.
Betts had a solid performance, but two of her teammates were responsible for the Bruins’ 70-65 victory over the Tigers in Spokane (Wash.).
Gabriela Jaquez scored 18 points, including five in a row after LSU cut its deficit to three points late in the fourth quarter. Timea Gardiner knocked down five 3-pointers in the second and fourth periods to help UCLA get a comfortable lead.
The Tigers trailed for most of the game. An 11-2 run, fueled by Aneesah Morrow, put LSU on top by four points at the end of the first quarter. However, the Bruins answered with a solid second period.
With Betts on the bench with two fouls, Gardiner made three treys as UCLA outscored the Tigers by ten points. By halftime, the Bruins held a 31-25 lead.
Betts made her presence known in the early stages of the third quarter. Betts made a field goal and two foul shots to help UCLA move in front 43-29.
Over the last 16 minutes of the game, LSU had to play catch-up. With Morrow hampered by a broken nose and Mikaylah Williams struggling with her shooting, Flau’Jae Johnson took control for the Tigers.
Eight consecutive points by Johnson enabled LSU to pull within five points at 46-41 by the end of the third quarter. Two more Gardiner 3-pointers gave the Bruins another double-digit advantage in the fourth period.
Then, another six straight points by Johnson reduced the Tigers deficit to three points at 56-53 with 3:25 remaining. That’s when Jacquez sealed the UCLA victory. After a Betts basket, Jaquez sank two foul shots and hit a 3-pointer giving the Bruins a 62-53 lead.
Betts had a productive afternoon with 17 points, seven rebounds and six blocked shots. Johnson carried LSU with 28 points. However, Morrow and Williams combined for only 25 points as they were 11-of-32 from the field.
For the second straight season, the Tigers were eliminated in the regional finals by a team it had defeated the previous year in the NCAA tournament. LSU beat Iowa in the 2023 national title game. The Tigers beat UCLA in the 2024 regional semifinals.
Like the Hawkeyes, the Bruins got revenge 12 months later. However, it was not a superstar like Clark who did the damage this time. A pair of unheralded players – Jaquez and Gardiner – got UCLA its redemptive victory and a berth in the Final Four for the first time.
LSU Legacy Terra Twill Bridge Embroidered Relaxed Cap
from: Alumni Hall
