One game, one game in the NCAA Women’s Final Four.
LSU led a huge rally against No. 1-ranked Virginia Tech in the final quarter, 79-72, for its first national championship.
No. 3 LSU overcame a 9-point deficit after three quarters and outscored Virginia Tech 28-13 in the final period to reach Sunday’s national championship game. The Tigers will face the winner of Friday’s second Final Four game between No. 1 seed South Carolina and No. 2 seed Iowa.
Defending champion Gamecox is looking to remain unbeaten in its third straight trip to the Final Four. South Carolina’s defense, led by Aaliyah Boston, is solid, but it will be tested by Iowa’s Kaitlyn Clark, who recorded the first 40-point triple-double in NCAA Tournament history during the Hawkeyes’ Elite Eight win over Louisville.
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LSU advanced to its first championship game with a win over Virginia Tech
DALLAS — A furious fourth-quarter comeback from LSU erased a 12-point Virginia Tech lead, The Tigers won 79-72 in the first national semifinal of the women’s Final Four and LSU advanced to Sunday’s title game.
The Tigers will play the South Carolina-Iowa winner.
Trailing 59-50 heading into the fourth, LSU rattled off 15 unanswered points to take a 72-62 lead with 3:04 left. Virginia Tech, with its short bench, couldn’t recover.
Alexis Morris led LSU with 27 points, while Angel Reese tied a freshman women’s basketball single-season record with 24 points and 12 rebounds for her 33rd double-double of the season.
Virgin Tech was led by Cayanna Taylor’s 17 points and nine rebounds. Elizabeth Gidley also turned in a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. But it wasn’t enough for the Hokies, who are making their first Final Four appearance of their program.
– Lindsay Schnell
3Q: No. 1 Virginia Tech 59, no. 3 LSU 50
Virginia Tech picked up where they left off in the second quarter outscoring LSU 25-18, extending their lead to nine. The Hokies surprisingly controlled the glass with 33 rebounds, including 10 offensive rebounds.
Kayana Traylor (17 points, nine rebounds, two steals) and Elizabeth Gidley (16 points, nine rebounds, three blocks) are both tracking double-doubles.
Alexis Morris led the Tigers with 17 points. Angel Reese and LaDajia Williams each added 14 points.
The Hokies’ Georgia Amour set the NCAA single-match record
Despite going 0-5 to start the game, Amour rebounded to set a new NCAA Tournament record, hitting a triple. He hit 23 three-pointers throughout March Madness, the most threes in a single contest. Amour surpassed UConn’s Kia Nurse, who made 22 threes in 2017, and Arizona’s Aari McDonald, who made the same in 2021.
Half: No. 1 Virginia Tech 34, no. 3 LSU 32
Virginia Tech closed the first half on an 11-0 run to take a two-point lead, their first of the game. Hokies center Elizabeth Gidley stepped up on both ends of the floor after Taylor Soule fouled Dorube. Gidley is two rebounds away from a double-double (12 points, eight rebounds). Georgia Amour scored six points on two three-pointers, tying the NCAA record for three-pointers made in a contest.
The Tigers were held scoreless in the final 4:48 of the semifinal. Alexis Morris led the Tigers with 12 points and Angel Reese added 10, but LSU was outrebounded by the Hokies 25-14.
1Q: No. 3 LSU 16, no. 1 Virginia Tech 13
Virginia Tech started slowly, shooting 25% from the field and 1-for-9 from three. Georgia Amore missed her first five shot attempts before knocking down the Hokies’ only three points of the quarter. Despite missing shots and seven turnovers, Virginia Tech was able to stay close to LSU thanks to nine offensive rebounds in the quarter. Taylor Soule went to the bench early with two first-quarter fouls.
Alexis Morris led the Tigers with eight points. LSU shot 43.8% from the field and did not attempt three pointers.
LSU cheerleaders retrieve the ball that was stuck behind the backboard
Cheerleaders to the rescue!
Following the HokiesCayla King’s return to No. 1-ranked Virginia Tech and No. The game ball got stuck behind the backboard in the opening seconds of the Final Four matchup between No. 3 seed LSU. Two LSU cheerleaders perform a stunt to free the ball for a replay at the American Airlines Center.
“What are the odds of that happening in the first 33 seconds in the national semifinals,” ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said on the broadcast.
Virginia Tech and LSU meet in the first national semifinal
No. 1-ranked Virginia Tech as the Hokies each seek their first national championships, while the No. 3-ranked LSU.
Both teams have a potent guard-post combo. LSU sophomore forward Angel Reese (23.2 ppg, 15.7 rpg) is a double-double machine, leading the nation with 32 this season, but Virginia Tech senior center Elizabeth Gidley is averaging a double-double with 18.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. .
Off the perimeter, Virginia Tech guard Georgia Amour had a breakout season; The junior averaged 16.3 ppg, 5.0 apg and 3.0 rpg for the Hokies. LSU has its own star guard in Alexis Morris. The senior averaged 14.9 ppg, 4.1 apg and 1.9 spg for the Tigers.
LSU coach Kim Mulkey is going ‘pretty in pink’ to the Final Four
DALLAS — In the Final Four, you know Kim Mulkey’s dress is going to pop.
It will definitely show up.
For LSU women’s basketball’s Final Four showdown against Virginia Tech on Friday night (6 p.m., ESPN) inside American Airlines Center, Mulkey opted to go with a vibrant pink jacket accented with large, pink fabric flowers running from both shoulders to her wrists. Weapons.
She wears a white blouse and pants with white heels under her jacket. Mulki matches her granddaughter as she enters the arena hand in hand with Mulki wearing a white dress with pink frills on the shoulders.
– Corey Diaz, Lafayette Daily Advertiser
Kenny Brooks, in his seventh year at Virginia Tech, is part of elite company. His The Hokies, the top seed in the program based in Blacksburg, Virginia, beat Ohio State 84-74 on Monday to punch their ticket to the Final Four. They play third-seeded LSU in the first national semifinal on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.
The significance of the moment was not lost on Brooks, the only black male head coach of a Power Five team. (When Houston moves to the Big 12 in July, Ronald Hooge will become the second.)
“Obviously it’s a topic I’m not shy about,” Brooks said. “When I was trying to make a name for myself, I knew there weren’t many people who had done it or advocated for people like me.”
– Lindsay Schnell
Did Clarke actually hit that shot, thread, or finish that layup in transition?
Yes, she did, and she does – usually. And it’s as spectacular as you can imagine. Maybe more.
Clark became one of the sport’s biggest stars and a walking highlight reel because how did she see it?! Passes and unlimited shooting range. But as talented and impressive as Clark is, Iowa coach Lisa Bluder deserves some credit. Because she lets Clark be who she is.
– Lindsay Schnell
The national semifinal between Iowa and South Carolina is being billed as “Aliyah vs. Kaitlyn,” and with good reason. South Carolina forward Aaliyah Boston and Iowa guard Caitlin Clark have been the best players in college basketball over the past two seasons, producing superlatives and earning national accolades.
Watching them play each other is on every fan’s wish list, making Friday night’s game the most anticipated of the Final Four — men’s or women’s.
– Nancy Armour
Women’s basketball fans have been clamoring for an Aaliyah Boston vs. Kaitlyn Clark showdown for the past two years, and the tunes during March Madness have now joined the chorus. Well, the masses are finally getting what they want.
“Everybody’s been talking about this matchup for a long time. It’s exciting to see it happen in the Final Four,” Boston said Thursday.
– Nancy Armour
Iowa’s Kaitlyn Clark Wins Wade Trophy, AP Women’s Basketball POY Awards
Iowa women’s basketball star On Thursday, she won the Wade Trophy, the highest award in women’s college basketball, the same award that Aaliyah Boston won last season.
Clark is the first Hawkeye player to win the award from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. Earlier in the day, she was named the Associated Press Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. He received 20 of a possible 28 votes in a count taken before the start of the NCAA tournament.
She is jumping on awards. On Wednesday, Clarke was named the Naismith Player of the Year. Will the National Championship be next?
– Victoria Hernandez
When does the Final Four of the Women’s NCAA Tournament start?
The first of two Final Four games will be played on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and when No. 3 LSU NO. 1 gets Virginia Tech at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the site of the championship game.
The LSU-Virginia Tech game will continue No. 1 South Carolina v. No. 2 Iowa at 9:00 PM ET.
On which TV channel is the Final Four of the Women’s NCAA Tournament?
Both games will be broadcast on ESPN, with Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), Rebecca Lobo (analyst), Holly Rowe (reporter) and Andraya Carter (reporter) on the call.
Both games can be streamed live via the ESPN website and the ESPN app.
Who are the players every team should watch out for?
– No. 3 LSU: F Angel Reese, sophomore (23.2 ppg, 15.7 rpg, 2.2 apg)
– When. 1 Virginia Tech: G Georgia Amour, Jr. (16.3 ppg, 5.0 apg, 3.0 rpg).
– No. 2 Iowa: G Caitlin Clark, Jr. (27.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 8.6 apg)
– No. 1 South Carolina: F Alia Boston, senior (13.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.9 apg)
