An 8-point lead blown in 90 seconds.

Three starters, including a first-team All-American, fouled out.

Yet when the possible looks impossible, it’s exactly Alexis Morris’ comfort zone.

The senior guard scored 7 of LSU’s last 9 points, including four free throws in the final 10 seconds as the No. 3 seeded Lady Tigers beat No. 2 seed Utah 66-63 in the NCAA Greenville Regional II Sweet 16 on Friday evening.

It wasn’t until a missed 3-point jumper by Utah’s Daisa Young as time expired that LSU (31-2) could exhale and move on to Sunday’s 6 p.m. regional finals vs. Miami. The No. 9 seed Hurricanes (22-12) upset No. 4 seed Villanova 70-65 in Friday’s first semi-final.

"I just thought it was two heavyweights going at it, and that's what I told their coach after the game," LSU second-year coach Kim Mulkey said. "Somebody had to win and somebody had to lose. We just made a few more plays. But so much respect because that team (Utah) guards you. We will guard you."

Morris hit two free throws with 10 seconds left for a 64-63 lead after being fouled scooping up a loose ball when teammate Angel Reese missed a layup with 13 seconds left.

Utah had a chance to take the lead with four seconds left after Reese fouled out trying to block a layup by Utah’s Jenna Johnson.

Johnson missed both free throw attempts and teammate Young rebounded the second miss. But LSU freshman center Sa’myah Smith slapped the ball loose to teammate Jasmine Carson. The Lady Tigers immediately called timeout with two seconds to advance the ball to their offensive end of the floor.

Before the ball was inbounded, Morris was fouled and again made both free throws. Utah (27-5) called timeout to advance the ball to its offensive end but Young’s desperation 3 was off-the-mark.

While Morris earned kudos for her clutch fourth-quarter to finish with 15 points and Reese battled for an SEC single-season record tying 31st double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, the undisputable game MVP for the Lady Tigers was forward LaDazhia Williams.

The graduate transfer from Missouri scored a season-high 24 points on 11 of 14 field goal accuracy, including 7 of 8 in the second half.

"I would say that it was my best game I've had, and being a senior, I'm not ready to go home," Williams said. "We already know where we want to go, and Angel getting in early foul trouble, I felt like I needed to step up as a senior. Coach Mulkey always tells me that high post shot is my shot and to take it, and I work on that every day in practice. So I was just shooting the ball with confidence tonight."

Her offense was needed since LSU guards Flau’jae Johnson (2 points on 0 of 7 shooting) and Kateri Poole (8 points) fouled out.

Utah was led by guard Gian Kneepkens, who had 20 points and 8 rebounds. She scored 10 of the Utes’ 16 fourth-quarter points.

"I thought both teams left it all out there on the floor," Utah head coach Lynne Roberts said. "That's why it stings so bad when you put it all out there and somebody has got to win. They made the last play. We had a defensive stop, and just didn't secure the board. Morris came up with it, and then we got that foul, and we were playing catch-up from there."

Both LSU and Utah each led by as many as seven points in the first half before the Utes settled on a 33-29 lead.

It was the Lady Tigers’ lowest first half point total of the season. And it wouldn’t have been a lot worse if Williams hadn’t carried LSU’s inside game with 9 polnts while Reese wallowed in foul trouble.

She had just 5 points and 4 rebounds in 12 first-half, picking up her second foul with 8:11 left with a needless slap after Utah’s Ines Viera had fully secured a defensive rebound.

Utah’s defensive gameplan centered on surrounding Reese as little as possible and limiting her touches. The Utes, knowing LSU has no consistent outside shooters, was willing to let Lady Tigers attempt and miss outside shots until somebody in a purple uniform proved they could make them.

LSU made a halftime adjustment to create more two-man game offensive movement in the paint with Reese and Williams. That duo scored four points each in a 8-0 run for a 39-37 lead with 5:48 left in the third period.

From that point to end of the quarter, defenses stiffened. LSU made just 4 of 11 shots, missing six jumpers including three 3-pointers. Utah made 3 of its last 5 shots including a pair of 3-pointers as the Utes entered the fourth quarter with a 47-46 lead.