Duke, LSU Set for NCAA Tournament Showdown in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — A high-stakes rematch from December will unfold under the NCAA Tournament spotlight Friday when the seventh-seeded Duke Blue Devils face the second-seeded LSU Tigers in a women’s basketball regional semifinal at Golden 1 Center.

The Tigers (28-5), playing far from home but likely with a partisan crowd, enter as heavy favorites. They routed Duke 93-77 in Durham, North Carolina, on Dec. 4, a game that showcased LSU’s potent offense. The Tigers have been dominant in the tournament’s opening rounds, defeating Jacksonville by 58 points and Texas Tech by 54. In the 101-47 win over Texas Tech, Flau’jae Johnson scored 24 points in just 24 minutes, continuing her efficient postseason play. Johnson averaged 22 points in the first two tournament games.

Duke (26-8), however, arrives with momentum and a fortified defense. The Blue Devils have won eight of their last nine games, including a 69-46 second-round dismantling of Baylor where they held the Bears to 27.9% shooting. Sophomore forward Delaney Thomas has been a consistent force, averaging 16.3 points and 6.3 rebounds over her last seven contests. Her versatility will be key against LSU’s frontcourt.

LSU’s path has been defined by explosive scoring, averaging 108.5 points in its tournament games. Beyond Johnson, Mikaylah Williams provides a secondary scoring punch, dropping 24 points against Texas Tech. Duke’s resilience is its hallmark, evidenced by an overtime win over Louisville and several tight victories in ACC play.

The Tigers are installed as 8.5-point favorites, with the over/under set at 146.5. The game pits LSU’s nation-leading offense against a Duke defense that has held 13 opponents under 60 points this season. The winner advances to the Elite Eight on Sunday.

Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 7 p.m. PDT Friday.