LSU overwhelms Iowa for first women's basketball title

April 2 (UPI) -- Alexis Morris scored 21 points and Jasmine Carson chipped in 22 off the bench to lead LSU past Iowa, clinching the first women's basketball title in Tigers history Sunday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

The Tigers set a record for the most points in title game history in the 102-85 triumph. Carson scored all of her points in the first half. Morris scored 15 over the final 10 minutes.

"Coaches coach for a lifetime," Tigers coach Kim Mulkey told ESPN in an on-court interview. "This is the fourth time I've been blessed [with a championship]. Never in the history of LSU basketball, men or women, have they ever played for a championship.

"My tears are tears of joy."

With Sunday's win, Mulkey became the first woman to claim titles at multiple schools. She won championships in 2005, 2012 and 2019 at Baylor.

National Player of the Year Caitlin Clark scored a game-high 30 points and logged eight assists for the Hawkeyes. Clark, who was limited because of foul trouble, also broke Glen Rice's record for the most points scored in a single NCAA tournament, men's or women's.

She amassed 191 points in the Hawkeyes' five tournament games.

"Foul trouble is not really what you want in the national championship game," Clark told reporters. "I thought they called it very, very tight. ... Sometimes that's how things go.

"All I could do was respond, go back out there and keep fighting."

The Tigers made 54.3% of their shots, including 64.7% of their 3-point attempts against the Hawkeyes. They forced 16 turnovers and held a 37-26 edge in rebounding.

The Hawkeyes took a 9-5 lead 2:26 into the game, but the Tigers responded with an 11-3 run. Clark scored 14 points over the first 10 minutes, but the Hawkeyes trailed 27-22 to start the second quarter.

The Tigers outscored the Hawkeyes 32-20 over the next 10 minutes and led 59-42 at halftime.

The Tigers pushed their lead to 21 in the first two minutes of the third quarter. Clark and the Hawkeyes responded with a 12-0 run to cut into that deficit, but they could not close the gap.

They outscored the Tigers 22-16 in the quarter and trailed 75-64 to start the fourth. Clark, who made three 3-pointers in the quarter, entered the fourth with four fouls.

Morris made all six of her fourth-quarter shot attempts to keep the Tigers ahead. Clark made just two shots over the final 10 minutes.

Tigers star Angel Reese, who totaled 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals, was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Fellow Tigers forward LaDazhia Williams chipped in 20 points in the title game. Monika Czinano and Katie Martin scored 13 points apiece for the Hawkeyes.

"Breathe to believe," Reese said. "Nobody thought we were going to be here. I don't even know what to say. I'm so happy."