LSU defeats Rainbow Wahine in NCAA Tournament’s first round

Angel Reese scored 34 points to lead LSU past Hawaii 73-50 in an NCAA Women’s Tournament first-round game today at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

Reese, who leads the nation with 29 double-doubles, also had 15 rebounds.

Daejah Phillips and Kallin Spiller led the Wahine with 13 points each and Lily Wahinekapu added 11 as Hawaii lost in the NCAA Tournament’s first round for the second year in a row.

Flau’jae Johnson added 10 points for LSU.

The 14th-seeded Wahine (18-15) represented the Big West after winning their second consecutive conference tournament. The third-seeded Tigers (28-2) advance to play Michigan on Sunday.

Wahinekapu scored nine of her points in the first half. Her 3-pointer put Hawaii ahead at the outset, but LSU went on a 12-0 run, resulting in an 18-7 first-quarter lead for the hosts.

UH settled down after eight turnovers in the first period, and closed to 29-22 on Meilani McBee’s 3-pointer with 2:33 left before halftime. But the Tigers scored six straight to expand the margin to 35-22 at halftime, behind Reese’s 14 points and seven rebounds before intermission.

Another McBee bomb opened the second-half scoring, but LSU kept control and led 48-33 going into the fourth quarter.

The Tigers stretched the lead to 58-35 early in the final period to put the game away.