LSU punched its ticket to the Sweet 16 on Sunday with an offensive attack in the second half to escape Middle Tennessee.
But the Tigers are now set to fly to Albany, New York, to take on UCLA, where an offensive attack may not come quite as easy.
The Bruins advanced to the Sweet 16 with a second half comeback of their own, sealing a 67-63 win over Creighton.
Just like how they got to Albany, both teams are very similar. They both have strengths that have carried them, and weaknesses that have hurt them.
UCLA thrives in the post
When it comes to height, UCLA has the upper hand, and the Bruins have used that to their advantage as much as possible.
UCLA is led by 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts, who averages a team-high of 14.9 points per game, and a team-high of nine rebounds per game.
In their last 11 games, nine of which resulted in a win, the Bruins averaged 32.7 points in the paint of their 71.2 points scored (45.9%).
Against Creighton, Betts scored 20 points along with 10 rebounds and three assists. She shot 9-for-15 from the field and 2-for-4 at the foul line.
Creighton had a difficult time stopping Betts at the basket, but the Blue Jays stayed in the game with 3-point shots and going down low when Betts was out of the game, forcing a mismatch.
There were times when Creighton caught Betts and UCLA slipping and make a backdoor pass for a layup, but the Blue Jays ran the majority of their offense outside of the paint.
UCLA’s guards had a tough time defending Creighton’s outside shots, which allowed Creighton to go into halftime with an eight-point lead.
The Bruins can still win with their guards
While UCLA primarily works to get the ball to Betts, its guard play is enough to still be a top team.
Kiki Rice is one of UCLA’s most effective guards, averaging 13.2 points per game along with 5.8 rebounds per game and 4.5 assists per game.
Against Creighton, her burst of scoring in the second half was the swing factor. Of her team-high 24 points, she scored 17 in the second half, including nine points in a 15-4 run that gave UCLA its first lead of the game since the first quarter.
Rice shot 7-for-13 from the field, 2-for-5 from three and 8-for-8 from the foul line. She also added six rebounds and three assists.
But Rice is not all when it comes to UCLA’s guard play.
Charisma Osborne per game averages 14.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and four assists, and Londynn Jones adds another 11.8 points per game. Osborne led UCLA with 21 points in UCLA’s double overtime loss to USC in the Pac-12 semifinal.
UCLA’s guards bring a balanced attack to its offense. The more reliable part of its game is when it can drive to the basket and score. But the Bruins aren’t afraid to shoot the three and can be timely when making them.
In UCLA’s Pac-12 semifinal loss to USC, the Bruins shot a mere 5-for-30 from behind the 3-point line, yet still took the game to double overtime.
UCLA’s depth is an X-Factor
While Betts and Rice will be LSU’s main point of attack when it comes to defense, UCLA has several players that can come in and out if any of its scorers were to get into foul trouble.
Angela Dugalic has been a threat for UCLA, especially recently. She scored 17 points in the Pac-12 quarterfinals against Utah, 10 points in their Pac-12 semifinal loss to USC and six points against Creighton, which were two 3-pointers.
Gabriela Jaquez has been UCLA’s go-to off the bench, as she played 28 minutes off the bench against USC in the Pac-12 semifinals and 30 minutes against Creighton.
Including Jaquez, four UCLA players typically come off the bench per game, and they are all able to play significant minutes.
LSU’s keys to win
Just as it has been all season, solid defense is a priority for LSU to win. But in this case, solid defense is a priority for it to continue its season.
UCLA prefers to drive to the basket or give its post players the ball in the paint. Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow will need to protect the paint at their best in order to make UCLA uncomfortable.
But just as defense in the paint is important, perimeter defense is a must for LSU to win as well. Rice and UCLA’s guards have shown that they can still win games with their outside shots.
The Tigers’ perimeter players have to guard the perimeter well, forcing UCLA’s guards to take shots they don’t want to take while in a scheme they don’t prefer playing in.
It’s just as important for Reese, Morrow and the rest of LSU’s offense to drive to the basket and get Betts in foul trouble. Betts is not only who UCLA centers its offense around but is also a rebounding and overall defensive threat.
Taking her out of the game and forcing her to play carefully will make everything easier for the Tigers to come out with a win.
Game information
LSU will tip off against UCLA in the Sweet 16 on Saturday at noon C.T. from MVP Arena in Albany, New York.
The game will be televised live on ABC.
