Kim Mulkey, LSU Advance to the Final Four, Defeat Miami 54-42 in Elite Eight

Mulkey does the improbable in year two, advance the Tigers to their first Final Four since 2008.

Kim Mulkey and her LSU Tigers are Final Four bound after defeating Miami 54-42 in the Elite Eight on Sunday night.

A slugfest in Greenville, the Tigers ultimately came out on top to keep their season alive and make their first Final Four appearance since 2008.

Despite Angel Reese struggling for most of the night, her sidekick Alexis Morris made sure to carry her weight and catapult the Tigers to another critical postseason victory.

The takeaways from Sunday night:

Slow Start? No Problem

LSU came out the gate unable to get anything to fall through the first two quarters after shooting 9-for-30 in the half. For All-American Angel Reese, it was a night to forget from the field. Starting the contest 0-for-9, Reese got a majority of her points from the free throw line.

The Tigers’ defense, however, kept them in check. Forcing four turnovers on Miami’s first four possessions, it was a masterclass effort on that end of the floor. With seven steals and two blocks to show for it in the half, LSU overcame their sluggish start to make magic happen in the final 20 minutes.

Alexis Morris, Sa’Myah Smith and Angel Reese combined for 25 of the team’s 26 first half points. Despite Reese not making a field goal in the first two quarters, she showed life at the free throw line, hitting 7-of-10 from the charity stripe.

Three Point Nightmare

The Tigers have struggled from beyond the arc during tournament play. A facet of their game that has been a strong point at times, it’s become one they’ve struggled with in the postseason. LSU knocked down their first three of the game with seven minutes left in the fourth by Kateri Poole.

The shooting woes were contagious on Sunday. The Hurricanes couldn’t buy a bucket from downtown, ending the night 0-for-15 from three-point range. LSU showed fight defensively, locking down the perimeter through all 40 minutes.

Freshman Phenoms

Sa’Myah Smith had her best game as a Tiger when the lights were brightest. LSU’s frontcourt struggled at times with Friday night hero LaDazhia Williams nonexistent against Miami in the Elite Eight. Despite Williams’ struggles, Smith picked up the slack.

The box score doesn’t tell the story for Smith. Just a freshman, she played like a veteran and carried the Tigers when this program needed her most. Ending the night with 6 points on 3-for-5 shooting, 5 rebounds and two blocks, it was her defensive effort that propelled the Tigers to a Final Four appearance.

Her freshman partner, Flau’jae Johnson, held it down defensively as well. Coming into the night, it was Haley Cavinder the Tigers knew they needed to account for and Johnson made sure to keep her in check. The Hurricanes’ second leading scorer, it was Johnson who held her to 2 points on 1-for-6 shooting on Sunday.

Alexis Morris Does It Again

Alexis Morris. Lex Luthor. The Veteran. When the Tigers are in need of some magic, Morris makes sure to carry them when needed. After scoring LSU’s first six points of the game on back-to-back-to-back shots, it was understood Morris wasn’t ready to end her college career just yet.

The passionate, savvy guard got it done when the Tigers needed her most, even if it wasn’t always pretty. LSU struggled from the field against Miami, unable to get into a rhythm through all 40 minutes, but it was Morris who hit timely buckets throughout the game to balloon their lead.

Morris now returns to her hometown of Dallas where the Tigers will appear in the Final Four next weekend for the first time since 2008.