ALBANY, N.Y. — Flau'jae Johnson was elite from start to finish and Angel Reese overcame foul troubles to lead LSU past UCLA 78-69 and into the Elite Eight with a rematch against Caitlin Clark and Iowa looming.
Johnson and Reese are the Tigers only two starting returners from last year's national champions and they came through when it counted.
Johnson led the Tigers with 24 points and 12 rebounds on 7 of 11 shooting from the field while Reese battled UCLA's 6' 7" star Lauren Betts. Reese eventually fouled out but she had 16 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out in the game's final minute.
"The best team won tonight," said Reese. "It was a team effort."
Johnson was excited about leading the team in both points and rebounds, pointing out that she grabbed more boards than Reese, 12-11.
"I've been focused, I've been in the gym everyday," said an excited Johnson after the game. “I’ve played better games. I’ve been hooping my whole life, this is just a bigger stage.”
Though she said it wasn't her best game, Johnson was tearful afterward talking about how she was motivated by her mother.
"My mom. Before the game I was crying. I was trying to figure out my 'why.' I kind of looked at my mom like I never looked at her before and I knew my 'why.' I seen my mom out there and she sacrificed so much for me. I knew I was going to play with a different level of passion."
Reese said the team had been saying "no rebounds, no rings," which was especially important against Betts, who Reese described as a "great player."
