Spokane, Wash.

LSU coach Kim Mulkey went one by one, exchanging handshakes and offering words of encouragement to N.C. State players following the Tigers’ 80-73 win over the Wolfpack on Friday night in the Sweet 16.

The gist of Mulkey’s message?

“She just basically said, somebody’s got to lose and it’s hard to go through that moment,” senior forward Madison Hayes said.

For roughly 39 of the 40 minutes on Friday, it wasn’t clear who that would be at Spokane Arena — a stark contrast from the first meeting between the teams in late November, when LSU took a commanding lead early and never let up in a 17-point win.

NC State Wolfpack guards Madison Hayes (21) and Aziaha James (10) walk off the court during of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the LSU Lady Tigers at Spokane Arena. James Snook Imagn Images

The Tigers were efficient from inside the 3-point line and relentless on the glass while racing out to an early double-digit lead. Unlike the last meeting, N.C. State settled in and surged in front, taking a two-possession lead into the halftime break.

N.C. State withstood another series of jabs from LSU in the third quarter, rallying back from a six-point deficit to go in front 65-60 on two free throws from Zamareya Jones midway through the fourth.

When the game came down to a series of critical plays in the final minutes, LSU made the ones that mattered, closing the game on a 12-2 run to keep its season alive and deny N.C. State back-to-back trips to the Elite Eight.

“Just tip your hat to LSU and Coach Mulkey,” N.C. State coach Wes Moore said. “Same problem we had with them back in November, we just couldn’t keep them off the boards and (Aneesah) Morrow in particular. We knew she was going to be a handful and she was.”

LSU Lady Tigers forward Aneesah Morrow (24) shoots against NC State Wolfpack guard Saniya Rivers (22) during the first half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. James Snook James Snook-Imagn Images

N.C. State did a fine defensive job at times, limiting seven of the 10 LSU players to 10 combined points. The Tigers’ “big three” — the grouping of Morrow, Sa’Myah Smith and Mikaylah Williams — were more than happy to pick up the slack, combining to score 70 of the team’s 80 points while pulling down 38 of LSU’s 52 rebounds.

The Wolfpack especially struggled to contain Morrow, who had a 30-point, 19-rebound double-double, keeping LSU alive on a handful of possessions with nine offensive rebounds.

That was a theme much of the game, even when Morrow wasn’t involved.

The Tigers weren’t always efficient on the offensive end, making just 32 of 74 (43%) from the field, but Morrow and others helped them build a 52-36 advantage on the glass and 18-10 edge in offensive rebounds. LSU also racked up a 22-11 advantage in second-chance points.

LSU Lady Tigers forward Aneesah Morrow (24) shoots against NC State Wolfpack guard Saniya Rivers (22) during the first half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. James Snook James Snook-Imagn Images

“They’ve got the big three and, again, not all three of them are going to be clicking every night but when you’ve got three that are that talented, some of them are going to pick up the slack,” Moore said. “ … Morrow’s just, she’s a dog, we just didn’t have an answer for her. We were trying to get around, in front of her some. We were trying to double her some, but the problem was a lot was off offensive rebounds and being aggressive down there. I mean, 19 rebounds, 30 points. There’s your game down there.”

The teams traded baskets down the stretch before LSU pulled away, holding N.C. State scoreless for the final two minutes.

N.C. State went up five points on Maddie Cox’s 3-pointer, but the lead was quickly back to one after LSU’s Williams converted a jumper and a layup on consecutive possessions.

NC State Wolfpack guard Zoe Brooks (35) shoots against LSU Lady Tigers guard Mikaylah Williams (12) during the first half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. James Snook Imagn Images

Zoe Brooks got a tough layup to fall on N.C. State’s next trip down, but Smith scored 12 seconds later and Brooks had an ensuing layup swatted by Kailyn Gilbert. That led to a free basket for Williams at the other end, putting LSU in front for the first time since the early stages of the quarter.

LSU’s rim protection came up big one more time, when Smith turned Brooks away on a jumper inside the final minute. Smith made two free throws that put the Tigers up three points and N.C. State squandered one last opportunity to tie the game when Cox was whistled for an offensive foul with 17 seconds left.

NC State Wolfpack guard Zoe Brooks (35) shoots against LSU Lady Tigers guard Mikaylah Williams (12) during the first half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game at Spokane Arena. James Snook Imagn Images

Brooks paced N.C. State with 21 points, but the guard was limited to 21 points on 9-of-21 shooting and missed both free-throw attempts. Zamareya supplied 13 points off the bench, Aziaha James scored 12 points and Saniya Rivers added nine points to go with six rebounds and five assists.

“It’s disappointing, these young ladies led us to the Final Four a year ago,” Moore said. “It’s hard when your expectations and all are really lofty, but at the same time it doesn’t diminish what they accomplished this year. I’ve said it several times, we started the year 4-3 and then went 24-3 before we got here.”

This story was originally published March 28, 2025 at 9:47 PM.