By Okon Ekpenyong, with Sportzketz

Sixty-eight division one programs competed in the 41st NCAA Women’s Tournament. Ultimately, the LSU Tigers overcame so much adversity to become the last team standing, defeating Iowa and overcoming the outstanding performance by Iowa’s Caitlin Clark to win their first title in program history.

After six attempts in the Final Four, LSU finally broke through to the title game and won it all. The bench outscored Iowa 30-8, led by five points in the first quarter, twelve in the second, and six in the fourth to defeat Iowa 102-85. LSU had five players score in double figures, including Jasmin Carson, who came off the bench to help spark the Tiger offense.

During this year’s tournament, Iowa’s Caitlin stood out as the most valuable player when she became the first player to record a triple-double of 40 points, 41 points, 12 assists, and ten rebounds in a win against Louisville in the elite eight to advance to the school’s first final four in nearly twenty years. She finished the tournament with 191 points, setting a record for a woman or man in a single NCAA Tournament.

Against the defending champion and undefeated South Carolina in the semifinals, she dropped 41 points. Clark added eight assists with six rebounds to help Iowa advance to the program’s first title game. During Iowa’s six games in this tournament, she averaged more than thirty points per game.

After defeating South Carolina, the number one team in the nation, Clark came into this championship game with high expectations.

According to fans who purchased tickets at the last minute to watch this historic match-up between two storied programs competing to win their first Championship, tickets went as high as $400. Yes, all eyes were on this game.

When LSU introduced Kim Mulkey as their next Coach to coach her home state team in 2021, she asked everyone to turn around and look at the semifinal banners. “Nowhere on there did it say national champions, and that’s what I came home to do,” Mulkey said. “It’s emotional, and I am so happy. I don’t know how to explain it, just a deep gratitude and happiness.”

Coach Kim Mulkey won a championship in 1982 as a player for Louisiana Tech and three titles as a coach for Baylor over the past nine years. After taking over the LSU coaching position two years ago, Mulkey added another title to her tally. When the NCAA Women’s Basketball March Madness takes place in Cleveland in 2024, we can expect to see the LSU championship banner on display.

Breakdown of the game:

Iowa’s Caitlin Clark shot 4-7 from beyond the arc and went 2-2 from free-throw to lead the team with 14 points at the end of the first quarter. There were few contributions from Iowa’s starters Gabbie Marshall, Monika Czinano, Kate Martin, McKenna Warnock, and Gabbie Marshall; however, they picked up the pace in the second and third quarters.

On the other hand, LSU started the whole game by involving everyone, from the starters down to the bench players scoring. Coach Kim Mulky started substituting players early because of foul troubles, and those fresh legs that came in indeed helped the team. Both teams tied the game four times in the first quarter and went on a few runs with five lead changes.

Both teams were plagued with foul trouble in all quarters, including Caitlin Clark, who went to the bench toward the end of the third quarter after picking up a technical and her fourth. Angela Reese of LSU also sat out for some time in the third and fourth quarters. Despite their team’s adversity, LSU’s Jasmine Carson, who had only scored 11 points throughout the tournament, dropped 21 when it mattered.

In the third quarter, Clark found open players, which helped Iowa stay in the game by edging South Carolina 22-16 by doing what she does best. However, for Coach Lisa Bluder’s team, the woes did not end there as Monika Czinano, their second-leading scorer, fouled out midway through the fourth quarter. And the other starter McKenna Warnock also fouled out and finished with nine points.

Iowa did end up shooting 75% from the field but was 46.7% from beyond the arc, which is 14-30. It was a record day for Clark, who would become the first player to make eight three-pointers in a championship game.

During the second half, LSU’s Alexis Morris scored an assist, finishing with 27 points, and played a vital role when her team needed a boost. LSU’s Morris has been a sensation in this year’s tournament and the season, and she has a remarkable story about her relationship with Coach Mulkey.

LSU rebuilding process:

Last year LSU had nine players transfer from other schools, and as the new coach to a program that had never won a championship, expectations were high, but cutting down the net in just two years happened quicker than anyone expected.

Kateri Poole, a transfer from Ohio State; Angela Reese, a transfer from Maryland; and Alexis Morris contributed to LSU’s success this season. Alexis Morris previously attended Baylor, but then Coach Kim Mulkey released her from the team for unspecified team violations.

But years later, she transferred to the Tigers once Mulkey became their coach. The coach said dismissing Morris was hard, but she learned from her mistakes and saw how much she grew as a player, student, and person. “Therefore, having her on my team again was one of the most profound decisions I’ve ever made, and now here we are,” Mulkey said.

Angela Reese & Caitlin Clark:

No game is perfect without a bit of controversy because, with under a minute left in the championship game, LSU’s Reese began celebrating by doing John Cena’s “You can’t see me” gesture, which Clark used against Louisville in the Elite Eight. However, Twitter had a field day criticizing Reese for pulling the same stunt. Clark responded to the controversy by saying she had no idea and was “trying to spend the last few moments on the court with everyone she had played 93 games with and cherish every minute of that.”

Reese played for the University of Maryland before transferring to LSU, so she is familiar with Clark’s style of play and all the emotions that come with competing. Following the game, both players shook hands and praised each other at the press conference.

Reese did not apologize and stated that she will always receive criticism because of who she is and concluded that she is thrilled to help grow women’s basketball this year. Reese also encourages young girls who look like her always to remain unapologetically and speak up when necessary.

Fans reactions:

“Lsu ran over a team that everyone talked about nonstop all week. It would’ve helped if they talked more about LSU, and despite their two-loss season, they were a far better team”, one fan said.

“Thank you for helping the state come together behind you! You played with a style, grace, and grit that connected us in such a personal way”, an Iowa fan said.

“I’m an SEC girl, and I want to say that all of you are a class act. It has been fun to watch this team, and I’ve never seen a minute of insubordination by any player during this tournament. Your team reminds me of my high school team – selfless and fiercely loyal”, an SEC fan said.

Reactions:

“And this was on my vision board, freshman of the year, and a national championship. I can now check both of them off. I knew it could happen; I dream it could happen”, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson said.

“I want my legacy to be the impact I can have on the young kids and the people in Iowa. I was just that young girl, so all you have to do is dream, and you can be in a moment like this”, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark said.

Historic Tournaments:

* LSU scored 102 points in the National Championship game, setting a record for the most points scored in a National Championship game, and approximately 357,542 fans attended this year’s tournament.

* LSU’s Angel Reese’s 34 double-doubles set a single-season NCAA Division One Women’s Basketball record.

* Coach Kim Mulkey joined UConn Coach Geno and Pat Summit as the only Women’s Coaches with four titles.

* Mulkey is the first women’s coach to win a title at two different schools and the second women’s coach to win a championship in her second season.

* The Iowa-LSU crowd broke the record for the most giant attended game in NCAA Tournament Championship history.

* Clark broke the NCAA Tournament title record for most 3-point field goals. Iowa has shot 50% or better from the field in 23 of its last 28 quarters.

* Iowa’s 31 wins this season are the most in program history.

* Clark is the only player in the nation with more than 1,000 points, 240 rebounds, 310 assists, and 45 steals this season.

“Caitlin Clark or Angela Reese wasn’t the best player on the court tonight; it was LSU’s Alexis Morris who scored 19 points in the second half to help lead LSU to victory, finishing with 21 points and nine assists,” Magic Johnson, a former Michigan State player who won a title in 1979 and five NBA titles with the Lakers twitted out.

Jordan Hawkins, LSU’s Angela Reese’s cousin, plays for UConn’s men’s team, and his team will face San Diego State tonight in hopes of winning the school’s fifth Championship. The two grew up together in Baltimore, Maryland. In the championship game, Reese finished with 15 points after shooting 5-12 from the court, 5-8 from the free-throw line, grabbing ten rebounds, and had five assists.

Former LSU PLAYERS like Simeone Augustus and others attended the game, and current players and coaches thanked them for paving the way for this moment. Tennis Legend Billie Jean and the First Lady Dr. Jill Biden were also in the building.

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