The LSU women's basketball team is going to the Sweet 16 after a gutsy 78-69 victory over the UCLA Bruins. LSU had standout performances across the board, but sophomore guard Flau'jae Johnson stood out the most. Johnson had an emotional reaction to the Tigers' March Madness win on Saturday.

Johnson revealed an insightful pre-game revelation to reporters during Saturday's post-game press conference.

“Before the game, I was crying. I was trying to figure out ‘What's my why?' And I kind of just looked at my mom today like I never looked at her before, and I was like, ‘I know my why now,'” Johnson said while holding back tears, per Dan Zaksheske.

“I just had a different level of passion I knew I was going to play with today, and I seen my mom out there…she just sacrificed so much for me, so it's definitely my mom,” Johnson added.

The sophomore undoubtedly played with a high level of passion on Saturday. She finished the UCLA matchup with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Her effort on the boards was tremendous. She outrebounded star forward Angel Reese, who ended with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Flau'jae Johnson will continue to be key for LSU going forward, and with her relentless work ethic, she should have no problems continuing her production. She believes her habits have allowed her to ascend to another level.

“I've been focused, I've been in the gym, I've been locked in. Every day I'm in the gym putting in reps. Everyday,” Johnson told reporters on Saturday.

Her hard work is being shown through her improvement on the court.

After averaging 11.0 points and 1.2 steals during the 2022-23 regular season, Johnson leapt to 14.0 points and 2.2 steals in 2023-24. The star sophomore looks to help the Tigers engage in more March Madness, but their next matchup will be tougher than ever.

A rematch of the century: LSU women's basketball vs Iowa

LSU will take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in a highly anticipated rematch from the 2023 national championship. The Tigers beat the Hawkeyes 102-85, so the reigning Big Ten champs are biting at the chomp for revenge.

Of course, one of the key matchups everyone has been waiting for is Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark. The stars are two of college basketball's most polarizing talents and will face off once against in the 2024 Elite Eight.

Reese became the subject of controversy during the 2023 national title game when she made a ring gesture to Clark after LSU's victory. However, fans quickly pointed out that Clark engages in similar theatrics and is just as flashy.

Nevertheless, all disputes will be settled on the court in the stars' next matchup.

Since Iowa's 2023 loss, Clark has been on fire. She broke Kelsey Plum and Pete Maravich's NCAA scoring records and helped Iowa win its third straight Big Ten championship. The senior guard comes off a stellar performance of 29 points, 15 assists, and six rebounds in Iowa's 89-69 Sweet 16 win over Colorado.

Meanwhile, the season has not been perfect for Angel Reese's Tigers. However, her squad continues to march forward. With the help of Flau'jae Johnson and LSU's other stars, the Tigers have a chance to get back to the Final Four.