'It's scary': How Alexis Morris' drive led LSU women's basketball to national title game

DALLAS – Asked about Virginia Tech guard Georgia Amoore the day before the game, Alexis Morris intently leaned into the microphone. The answer had already been spelled out and her face projected the sentiment.

Her gaze lasered in on the questioner, her expression emotionless, the LSU women's basketball senior point guard said, "She's a great player. What kind of player am I?"

The rest of LSU's team saw it in Morris when the team arrived back in her home state of Texas on Tuesday for the program's first Final Four appearance since 2008. Morris had become greedy.

She was redemptive yet she allowed the anger to fuel her.

It was Lex Luthor time at the perfect time.

Morris propelled the Tigers (33-2) to their first NCAA championship game appearance by leading them past Virginia Tech, 79-72, in the Final Four, posting a game-high 27 points in a performance worthy of her alter-ego. Morris plays like another person sometimes, and that person is Lex Luthor — a nickname with a hint of Alexis, and roots as a ruthless supervillain.

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"Her game speaks for itself," LSU sophomore star Angel Reese said of Morris. "Alexis Morris was the one who came out, and (Amoore) had a handful of her. Alexis Morris is a pro. She's a first-rounder. She's been through everything. You admire what she does. She's the comeback kid. She came back from everything and she's done everything they said she couldn't do.

"Alexis Morris is Alexis Morris, but when it's Luthor time, it's Luthor time. I'm just so proud of her."

All season long when LSU needed a big shot, it's been Morris who knocked them down. When the team needed a big defensive stop, the Beaumont native ignited plenty of those sequences.

"You don't know who to stop. Do I stop Lex? Do I stop Angel or (LaDazhia Williams)?" Tigers guard Jasmine Carson said. "I think our whole team is lethal and it starts with Lex. So when she's scoring the ball like she is, it's scary for opponents."

Kim Mulkey, who initially opened her recruitment of Morris when she was in the seventh grade more than a decade ago, has her own nickname for her point guard, "Little (expletive)." But it's a term of endearment between the two and Morris loves it.

"She's one of those that just was immature (when she was dismissed from Mulkey's Baylor team when she was a freshman), and she has owned her mistakes and is a better person because of it," Mulkey said.

"And now she's being rewarded."

Morris rarely lacks confidence but it was nearly gone when she was wondering between Rutgers and Texas A&M for three seasons before reuniting with Mulkey at LSU.

After she entered the transfer portal from A&M, one phone call from her old coach set the cards in motion for what has been an unforgettable final chapter thus far.

"Just the comeback, it's bittersweet that I have to leave, but it's like I'd rather leave on top than anything, compared to anything. So I'm just super excited," Morris said.

"If you know me, I'm never satisfied. I'm super excited that we won, but I'm hungry, like I'm greedy. I want to win it all so I can complete the story and complete the comeback. I've been through so much, so much that you all don't even know."

How Morris has closed this part of her story should prolong her basketball career, Mulkey and her teammates firmly believe. This season, Morris has averaged 15.2 points per game with four assists.

"Once she gets in her spots, it's over for the defense. There's nothing you can really do. She's quick, she got handles, she can shoot it," LSU freshman sensation Flau'jae Johnson said. "You can't guard her.

"She's the top guard in the (WNBA) draft. She should be on top of the draft boards. She's the one that pushes us. When she gets going, it's hard for a team to beat us."

As she took the floor with a Final Four logo that seemed as big as the state of Texas at midcourt, Morris reverted back to the beginnings of her journey. Back to the high school courts in Texas she took ownership of most nights.

She entered that mindset before the tipoff against Virginia Tech.

With a chance to play for a national championship on the line, it was Lex Luthor time.

"Those moments when I just felt, like, unreal. You know, I was just playing out of my body. I was in the zone. I was focused," Morris said. "Just kind of reminiscing. Maybe it could spark and give me a little edge on the court, a little more confidence.

"You know what else I also thought about? I thought about the matchups. You all kept asking me about the matchups, the matchups, the matchups, but I appreciate that because you put a chip on my shoulder."

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.