SPOKANE, Wash.—The No. 3 seed LSU Tigers do not offer the deepest bench or the best guard play or the most efficient shooting. But they give themselves more second chances than any other team in the country. They found enough of those Friday to make their way into the Elite Eight.
Against the No. 2 NC State Wolfpack, the Tigers let an early lead crumble and required a late surge to close it out, 80–73. NC State protected the ball more effectively, and it led a deeper, more balanced attack. It shut down the Tigers’ leading scorer Flau’jae Johnson. But there was no competing in the paint with LSU. The Wolfpack tried mixing in almost every big available on their roster. None of them could hang for long with Aneesah Morrow.
