The LSU Tigers women's basketball team, fresh off a 28-4 (12-4 SEC) season, learned their NCAA Tournament fate on Selection Sunday, earning a No. 3 seed in the Spokane 1 Regional. Despite a late-season stumble, dropping three of their final seven games, the Tigers secured hosting rights for the first two rounds at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center(PMAC), where they'll open against No. 14 San Diego State on March 22.
Bracket Breakdown and Path to Glory
Head coach Kim Mulkey, no stranger to high-stakes March basketball, emphasized the urgency of the moment: "Everybody realizes you lose, you go home." The Tigers' road is laden with potential heavyweight clashes. A first-round win sets up a meeting with No. 6 Florida State or No. 11 George Mason, but the Spokane Regional's gauntlet includes No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 NC State, and No. 4 Baylor-Kim Mulkey's former program.
LSU's resume boasts a dominant 82-65 November win over NC State and a Sweet 16 victory against UCLA last season. However, late injuries to stars Flau'Jae Johnson (shin inflammation) and Aneesah Morrow (foot) exposed vulnerabilities, contributing to losses against Ole Miss and Texas. Now, with both players healthy, Mulkey's squad is reloaded. "We have everybody," she declared, signaling a return to the Tigers' early-season form.
Key to Survival: Health and Defense
LSU's recent defensive lapses (70.6 PPG allowed in last 10 games vs. 65.7 season average) loom large, but a refreshed roster offers hope. Morrow a double-double machine(18.5 PPG, 13.6 RPG), and Johnson, LSU's offensive engine (18.9 PPG), are back to stabilize the lineup giving LSU the fire power to win big in March. Their presence could reignite Lady Tigers transition game and interior dominance, critical against a San Diego State team riding an eight-game win streak, including a triple-overtime thriller in the Mountain West title thriller.
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