Instant Takeaways: Aneesah Morrow Lifts No. 7 LSU Past Virginia Tech 82-64

The Tigers get the best of the Hokies in a Final Four rematch, Morrow shines for LSU once again.

No. 7 LSU handled business on Thursday night with the reigning National Champions coming out on top 82-64 in a Final Four rematch against Virginia Tech. 

In All-American forward Angel Reese’s return, the Tigers pieced together a strong third quarter to bolster their lead to double digits with this program never looking back.

The Instant Takeaways from Baton Rouge:

Aneesah Morrow, Mikaylah Williams Lift the Tigers

Morrow has been the clearcut MVP for the Tigers through the first nine games of the season and she pieced together “another one of those games” on Thursday night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

The All-American forward is fresh off of averaging 32.5 points and 13 rebounds in the Cayman Islands and followed it up with another impressive showing against Virginia Tech. Morrow ended the night with 19 points and 15 rebounds. 

For Williams, the true freshman continues to impress for this program. She’s been fearless through the Tigers’ first nine games with timely buckets game in and game out.

In the third quarter against the Hokies, she got it done once again. Williams knocked down back-to-back buckets for the Tigers in order to balloon LSU’s lead to double digits. From there, this program never looked back.

Williams ended the day with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists with the youngster continuing to make impactful plays. The Williams-Morrow one-two punch got it done for this program in the second and third quarters to take down a Top 10 foe.

The Return: Angel Reese Gets Her Legs Back Underneath Her

All eyes were on All-American forward Angel Reese on Thursday night. She was the main event after missing the last four games for the reigning National Champions. Now, after making her “long-awaited” return to the lineup, she came in and didn’t skip a beat.

Reese has been praised for her ability to create second-chance buckets. On Thursday, it was showcased once again. Reese was matched up against Elizabeth Kitley down low and their battle quickly became one of intrigue.

Kitley, a dynamic scorer, fought Reese on each possession with the National Champion ultimately getting the best of the matchup.

In her return, Reese ended the night with 19 points, nine rebounds and one steal after missing the last 16 days due to unspecified reasons.

Dynamic One-Two Punch: Georgia Amoore-Elizabeth Kitley Come Up Short

Georgia Amoore is as good as advertised and once again pieced together a strong night for Virginia Tech. The LSU backcourt had no answer for the shifty, dynamic guard who delivered haymakers through four quarters. She ended the night with 25 points and three assists for the Hokies on her way to an impressive night.

The one-two punch of Amoore and Elizabeth Kitley is and will continue to be lethal. For LSU, this program couldn’t find a solution for Amoore. She scored from all three levels while creating for others continuously.

For Kitley, the versatile big just couldn’t get in a groove for the Hokies. It was an off night, shooting just 6-for-16 from the field with 16 points while tallying 11 rebounds for Virginia Tech. A game in which her squad needed just a little bit more, her production just wasn’t enough.

Make no mistake about it, Amoore and Kitley will remain one of the top duos in America, but the starpower of LSU stole the show once again with the Tigers now sitting at 2-0 against the Hokies in the last two seasons.

No. 7 LSU will return to action on Sunday when the Tigers host the University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns at 2pm in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.