Scott Rabalais: It’s early under Kim Mulkey, but is LSU fated to win its first NCAA title?

DALLAS — Sometimes, fate finds you in sports.

Fate found Warren Morris in the 1996 College World Series. Had he not broken his hand midway through the season, no way is he batting ninth in the CWS final. No way is he in position to hit the immortal home run that lifted LSU to the national title over Miami.

Fate found Joe Burrow in preseason practice at Ohio State in 2017. He broke a bone in his hand, too, putting him hopelessly behind Dwayne Haskins on the depth chart. If it hadn’t happened, maybe Burrow wins the Buckeyes’ starting job and never has reason to transfer to LSU. And LSU is one national title and one Heisman Trophy winner light.

Fate seems to have found the LSU women’s basketball team this season. Kim Mulkey is right: There is no way her Tigers should be here Sunday playing Iowa for the NCAA championship in the second year of her rebuilding project. But here they are, on the precipice of the biggest game in this program’s history.

From the transfer portal to the tournament, fate seems to have given LSU a push in the small of the back, urging the Tigers forward, ready or not.

How else do you explain a team getting here with nine new pieces, only one returning starter and two other bench reserves? The Tigers’ season-long motto, “Piece it together,” sounds more like a wish than a master plan.

But it worked, starting with Alexis Morris, the returning starter whose point guard skills and intensity were like holding up a mirror to Mulkey. Then the fateful turn: Kateri Poole, transferring from Ohio State to play guard for the Tigers, talked Angel Reese into giving LSU a look last April.

“I had two other options,” Reese said Saturday. “LSU wasn’t even in the equation. Kateri was the one who called me. I thank her daily.”

Those two other options, Miss Reese?

“Tennessee and South Carolina,” she said.

Talk about changing the total complexion of this season. Imagine Reese double-doubling her way through the schedule for the Lady Volunteers or Gamecocks. One of those teams might still be playing, not LSU.