Mar 28, 2025; Spokane, WA, USA; LSU Lady Tigers guard Mikaylah Williams (12) celebrates a basket during the second half of a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament basketball game against the NC State Wolfpack at Spokane Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images James Snook-Imagn Images

The Start Time: LSU Women's Basketball vs. UCLA Bruins in Elite Eight Showdown

Originally posted on LSU Tigers on SI | By Zack Nagy | Last updated Mar 29, 2025 10:15 AM ET

Kim Mulkey and the No. 3-seeded LSU Tigers are Elite Eight bound after taking down the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Friday night in Spokane (Wash.).

Mulkey and Co. will head to their third straight Elite Eight with a showdown against the UCLA Bruins standing in the way of punching their ticket to the Final Four.

“I think there’s five in our locker room that have never been to a Sweet 16,” Coach Kim Mulkey said, referencing Kailyn Gilbert, Miracle Sheppard, Shayeann Day-Wilson, Jersey Wolfenbarger and Jada Richard.

“So they certainly haven’t been to an Elite 8, and that’s what excites you as a coach, is having players experience something for the first time. And you don’t take it for granted. You just don’t.

“We made plays down the stretch. We made some bad plays down the stretch, but we made plays down the stretch to pull it out and win, and it means we did some good stuff.”

LSU and UCLA will meet again in the NCAA Tournament, this time in the Elite Eight pic.twitter.com/aVBms8vCwp
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) March 29, 2025

The Elite Eight Schedule: Sunday, March 30 (Elite Eight)

(Times are Eastern)

(1) South Carolina vs. (2) Duke, 1 p.m. on ABC
(1) UCLA vs. (3) LSU, 3 p.m. on ABC

LSU will take on the UCLA Bruins at 2 p.m. CT with the battle to be live on ABC this Sunday.

Mulkey's Take: Battling Back in Crunch Time Showcasing Leadership

"This has been a team that's won a lot of close games, I mean, from the very beginning of the season. I think part of it is seniors, another part of it is leaders, your leadership, your captains, and the third part of it is competitors. Got some competitors.

"And it was really hard for us not to have Flau'jae on that floor, but she was seeing double. She got hit in the eye area, and they wouldn't let her go back in. And she continued in the timeouts to point things out on the coaching board and to say things to her teammates, and that's a sign of a leader.

"So I think all these close games, it benefits us to have been in them. I don't like them particularly. I would like to relax on that sideline and let them, you know, relax, but when you get to this level, there's too many good teams."