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LSU women's basketball takes the floor vs. Duke tonight with a chance to punch its ticket to the Elite 8. The Tigers have been a NCAA Tournament constant under head coach Kim Mulkey, and if LSU advances, it will mark the program's fourth-straight trip to the Elite 8.
LSU took care of business in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, blowing out Jacksonville and Texas Tech in Baton Rouge. LSU held the Red Raiders to just 47 points last Sunday.
This won't be LSU's first time seeing Duke this year. The squads met in December with LSU pulling out a 93-77 win on the road. LSU was led by Flau'Jae Johnson's 18 points in the first meeting, while five more Tigers also scored double-digits.
When LSU beat Duke in December, it was the Blue Devils’ fourth straight loss. Duke left that game 3-6 and there were questions about Kara Lawson’s squad. Lawson engineered a turnaround and since December 5, the Blue Devils are among the hottest teams in the country.
This is a heavyweight battle with two established coaches, each working with elite rosters. Let's take a deeper look at LSU vs. Duke in the Sweet 16.
Steals: When LSU gets its hands on the ball often, it typically indicates a victory on the way. The purple and gold average nearly 13 steals in wins compared to just five in losses. Head coach Kim Mulkey's team thrives off its transition game, making steals critical.
Three-point shooting: Duke is 10-3 with a +18 margin of victory when it shoots at or over 35% from beyond the arc. The Blue Devils survive when cold, going 5-3 with a +7.5 margin of victory, but stand a much better chance of winning when it shoots the three-pointer well. LSU defends the two-point shot better than the three. It ranks 66th nationally in three-point defense, which isn't bad, but the Tigers have paid with their lack of defense on the perimeter at times.
Rebounding: LSU displays a clear advantage on the glass and must flex its muscle on both ends of the court. Getting out in transition and generating second chances lead to victory. Since the Blue Devils don't possess as much length and strength inside, the Tigers must run the paint.
As her team prepares for a rematch with the Blue Devils, Kim Mulkey discussed the Tigers' game planning strategy, which may not include all of the film from the first go-around in Durham.
"They're better today than they were in that game, and I think we're better today than that game, but you certainly look at every bit of film you can find," Mulkey said. "We looked at it and kind of looked at things that they did well and things that we did well and what we didn't do well."
After losing to South Carolina in the SEC Tournament semifinals, LSU scored over 100 points in back-to-back games to open March Madness. Mulkey's team looks reborn just in time for the most important games of the season.
"I think the loss in the SEC tournament shook them a little bit," Mulkey said. "They were not real happy about how it was perceived, and I think they fixed it, and we've been playing good basketball."
Flau'Jae Johnson found her rhythm in the NCAA Tournament. With her final season donning the purple and gold on the line, the senior will continue leading LSU on both ends of the court against Duke.
"I think that she's more comfortable being a leader because being a leader is not always when things go good," Mulkey said. "You have to be a leader when you're not playing good, or when you're struggling, or you're having a bad day. And I think she and Mikaylah Williams have really embraced being leaders of our team this year, and they're both captains. And it's good to see Flau'Jae do that and I think that's probably more so than the things that she does scoring the ball, or anything with basketball. It's just watching her become a better leader."
Toby Fournier
Ashlon Jackson
Taina Mair
The spread for Friday is 9.5 with the Tigers coming in as a near double-digit favorite. Their money line is -425. The game's over-under is set at 144.5 points.
LSU 87, Duke 68: The Blue Devils will hit shots but LSU's presence inside and on the glass will be too much for Duke to handle all game. The Tigers will move on to their fourth-straight Elite 8.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU women's basketball vs Duke: Schedule, preview, predictions
Continue reading...
LSU took care of business in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, blowing out Jacksonville and Texas Tech in Baton Rouge. LSU held the Red Raiders to just 47 points last Sunday.
This won't be LSU's first time seeing Duke this year. The squads met in December with LSU pulling out a 93-77 win on the road. LSU was led by Flau'Jae Johnson's 18 points in the first meeting, while five more Tigers also scored double-digits.
When LSU beat Duke in December, it was the Blue Devils’ fourth straight loss. Duke left that game 3-6 and there were questions about Kara Lawson’s squad. Lawson engineered a turnaround and since December 5, the Blue Devils are among the hottest teams in the country.
This is a heavyweight battle with two established coaches, each working with elite rosters. Let's take a deeper look at LSU vs. Duke in the Sweet 16.
LSU vs Duke: Keys to the game
Steals: When LSU gets its hands on the ball often, it typically indicates a victory on the way. The purple and gold average nearly 13 steals in wins compared to just five in losses. Head coach Kim Mulkey's team thrives off its transition game, making steals critical.
Three-point shooting: Duke is 10-3 with a +18 margin of victory when it shoots at or over 35% from beyond the arc. The Blue Devils survive when cold, going 5-3 with a +7.5 margin of victory, but stand a much better chance of winning when it shoots the three-pointer well. LSU defends the two-point shot better than the three. It ranks 66th nationally in three-point defense, which isn't bad, but the Tigers have paid with their lack of defense on the perimeter at times.
Rebounding: LSU displays a clear advantage on the glass and must flex its muscle on both ends of the court. Getting out in transition and generating second chances lead to victory. Since the Blue Devils don't possess as much length and strength inside, the Tigers must run the paint.
What Kim Mulkey said
As her team prepares for a rematch with the Blue Devils, Kim Mulkey discussed the Tigers' game planning strategy, which may not include all of the film from the first go-around in Durham.
"They're better today than they were in that game, and I think we're better today than that game, but you certainly look at every bit of film you can find," Mulkey said. "We looked at it and kind of looked at things that they did well and things that we did well and what we didn't do well."
After losing to South Carolina in the SEC Tournament semifinals, LSU scored over 100 points in back-to-back games to open March Madness. Mulkey's team looks reborn just in time for the most important games of the season.
"I think the loss in the SEC tournament shook them a little bit," Mulkey said. "They were not real happy about how it was perceived, and I think they fixed it, and we've been playing good basketball."
Flau'Jae Johnson found her rhythm in the NCAA Tournament. With her final season donning the purple and gold on the line, the senior will continue leading LSU on both ends of the court against Duke.
"I think that she's more comfortable being a leader because being a leader is not always when things go good," Mulkey said. "You have to be a leader when you're not playing good, or when you're struggling, or you're having a bad day. And I think she and Mikaylah Williams have really embraced being leaders of our team this year, and they're both captains. And it's good to see Flau'Jae do that and I think that's probably more so than the things that she does scoring the ball, or anything with basketball. It's just watching her become a better leader."
Duke players to watch
Toby Fournier
- Duke's leading scorer, Fournier averages 17.4 points per game. She shoots 53% from the field.
- The six-foot-two forward leads the Blue Devils on the interior. She averages eight boards per game along with totaling 77 blocks.
- Against LSU in the regular season, Fournier finished with 14 points and three rebounds. She shot 60% from the field.
Ashlon Jackson
- Jackson led Duke with 16 points against LSU. She finished four of 10 from three-point range.
- The six-foot guard averages 11.3 points per game, second to Fournier.
- One of four seniors on Duke's roster, Jackson will likely be playing as if Friday is her last college game.
Taina Mair
- It may be Mair's last collegiate game as well. The senior spent her first season at Boston College before transferring to Duke.
- Against the Tigers, five-foot-nine guard scored 14 points alongside three rebounds and a block.
- Mair leads the Blue Devils with 83 steals and 191 assists. She does her damage on defense and in transition.
Odds for LSU women's basketball vs. Duke
The spread for Friday is 9.5 with the Tigers coming in as a near double-digit favorite. Their money line is -425. The game's over-under is set at 144.5 points.
LSU vs Duke: Sweet 16 Prediction
LSU 87, Duke 68: The Blue Devils will hit shots but LSU's presence inside and on the glass will be too much for Duke to handle all game. The Tigers will move on to their fourth-straight Elite 8.
NCAA women's basketball tournament schedule -- Sweet 16
Day | Matchup | Time (ET) | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, March 28 | (2) Vanderbilt vs. (6) Notre Dame | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Friday, March 28 | (1) UConn vs. (4) North Carolina | 5:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Friday, March 28 | (1) UCLA vs. (4) Minnesota | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Friday, March 28 | (2) LSU vs. (3) Duke | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Saturday, March 29 | (2) Michigan vs. (3) Louisville | 12:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Saturday, March 29 | (1) Texas vs. (5) Kentucky | 3:00 p.m. | ABC |
| Saturday, March 29 | (1) South Carolina vs. (4) Oklahoma | 5:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Saturday, March 29 | (3) TCU vs. (10) Virginia | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU women's basketball vs Duke: Schedule, preview, predictions
Continue reading...
