All eyes were on Angel Reese, Alexis Morris but LSU’s LaDazhia Williams was essential

Sunday’s national championship game between LSU and Iowa was a celebration of stars — a coronation of the nation’s best players.

By now you know their names: Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. LSU’s Angel Reese and Alexis Morris. And maybe even Jasmine Carson, a career role player who blossomed into a star on the grandest stage.

These players raised their teams’ ceilings. But what about the ones who laid the foundations?

While Carson rained 3s, while cameras trained onto Reese’s smack talk, and while Morris put the finishing touches on the win, LaDazhia Williams was working — quietly and efficiently. The 6-foot-4 graduate transfer provided the scoring support LSU needed. And she filled a key role on the defensive end, walling off Clark’s drives to the rim.

In the title game, Williams scored 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting, with five rebounds and three steals. The performance was one of her best of the season.

But in true Williams fashion, it flew under the radar.

“I don’t worry about (that),” Williams said before the game. “I just do what my team needs of me, and my teammates love me. I love them. On the team, I don’t go unrecognized. I’m not too worried about what the media has to say.”

Each time LSU needed her in the postseason, Williams delivered. She entered the NCAA tournament averaging 9.1 points per game, and she eclipsed that mark in four of LSU’s six tournament games. Williams scored 20 or more points in only two games this season. Both were in the tournament.

“Offensively and defensively, she’s been doing it for us,” Kateri Poole said. “And she’s a vet. She’s been in this predicament before. And I think out of everyone, she has the most experience — and just her coming out of her shell as a vocal leader on the court helps, too. She’s not gonna say much, but when she does say something, it’s effective.”

In a Sweet 16 game against Utah on March 24, the Utes focused all their attention on Reese, leaving pockets of space open for Williams in the high post. She took advantage. Without her 24 points on 11-of-14 shooting, the Tigers wouldn’t have escaped with a win.