Reese's double-double, Johnson’s scoring, lifts LSU over MTSU

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU coach Kim Mulkey pledged that she wouldn't let an impending Washington Post "hit piece" about her derail the defending national champion Tigers during the women's NCAA Tournament.

A dominant second-half surge, led by star forward Angel Reese and dynamic guard Flau'Jae Johnson, proved Mulkey right — at least for now.

Reese's 20 points and 11 rebounds and Johnson's 21 points helped third-seeded LSU pull away for an 83-56, second-round victory over No. 11 seed Middle Tennessee on Sunday.

"Listen, man, we're not going to let one sleazy reporter distract us from what we're trying to do. Absolutely not," Mulkey said. "My kids didn't even know I said that yesterday. That team is not involved in this. They were in shock when they saw all that on the internet."

Mulkey grabbed headlines when she railed against the Washington Post and even threatened legal action.

Reese said Sunday that she didn't know anything about that, but other teammates did.

"Coach Mulkey's had our back all year, so we've got to have coach Mulkey's back," said forward Aneesah Morrow, who scored 19 points. "We've got to play hard and for one another — and that's as simple as it is."

LSU trailed by nine in the third quarter before surging to a comfortable second-half lead and ended the Blue Raiders' 20-game winning streak.

"I didn't want to let my team down," said Reese, who had a long embrace with Mulkey on the sideline when she checked out in the final minutes.

Reese also noted that she might have played her last game on LSU's home court because she hasn't decided whether to turn pro after this season.

"So, I did whatever it takes to win," Reese said. "And me and coach have that kind of relationship where she can get on me and talk to me, like, 'I need you,' and give me that encouragement that I need."

MTSU (30-5) led 41-32 and looked primed to widen the gap when Reese tripped over a fallen teammate on an attempted layup and crashed to the court, sending the Blue Raiders on a 5-on-4 break the other way.

But Jalynn Gregory's open 3 bounced off the back rim to LSU guard Last-Tear Poa, who fired the ball down court where Reese had just gotten up and made an uncontested layup.

That play spawned a 10-0 run, fueled in part by Mikaylah Williams' pull-up jumper in transition and her left corner 3, which put the Tigers back in front 42-41.