The No. 3 seed LSU Tigers became the first team to break 100 points in a national championship game and ended what was a dominant season early on against weak competition by proving their seeding status wrong and bringing home the program’s first title Sunday afternoon at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The 102-85 decision was a true team effort for the Tigers, with Jasmine Carson scoring all 21 of her points in the first half on 5-of-5 shooting from distance, Alexis Morris (21 points, nine assists) being absolutely killer from mid-range late to eliminate any hope for the opposing Iowa Hawkeyes and LaDazhia Williams adding 20 points. The team’s best player, Angel Reese, capped her junior season and first at LSU with her 34th double-double of the season. She had 15 points and 10 rebounds, the six offensive ones being particularly key. She added five helpers and three steals and won Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
LSU led 59-42 at the break after Carson banked in a triple at the buzzer of the first half. It seemed that the Tigers could do no wrong. The No. 2 seed Hawkeyes cut it as close as seven in the second half, but would get no closer. Iowa’s second-best player, Monika Czinano, a fifth-year senior, ended her career when she fouled out with 6:25 to play….
