GREENVILLE, S.C. -- LaDazhia Williams was determined to extend her career. Thanks to her best game of the season, her LSU teammates will get to keep playing, too.
"I'm not ready to home," she said. "We already know where we want to go."
Williams and the third-seeded Tigers reached the Elite Eight for the first time in 15 years, holding off No. 2 seed Utah 66-63 on Friday night.
Williams had a season-high 24 points to boost LSU (31-2).
Alexis Morris, another fifth-year transfer like Williams, had 15 points. Her two foul shots with 10 seconds left put LSU ahead for good, 64-63. She later made two more free throws.
"We're just hungry right now," Morris said. "I know we're fueled up and we're fired up. We're one game away from going to the Final Four."
Angel Reese added 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Coach Kim Mulkey's Tigers can reach their first Final Four since 2008 on Sunday night when they face No. 9 seed Miami to close the Greenville 2 Regional.
"I think we fought hard all four quarters," Reese said. "We've been through so much from the beginning to the end, so I'm just super happy for this team."
Not that there weren't some anxious moments at the end.
Down 64-63, the Utes had a chance to back in front, but Jenna Johnson -- a near 75% foul shooter -- missed both attempts with 4.7 seconds to go. Utah's Dasia Young had her hands on the rebound, but LSU's Sa'Maya Smith took it away.
Morris made two more foul shots for a three-point lead. The Utes had a final chance, but Young's three-point try from the left corner hit the side of the backboard as time expired.
Utah Coach Lynne Roberts had her arm around Johnson on the bench after the misses.
"I don't think that'll happen again if she gets that opportunity again, knowing her, the competitor she is," Roberts said.
LSU hadn't advance this far since reaching the Final Four 15 years ago. This is Mulkey's second season coaching the Tigers.
Williams, who played at South Carolina and Missouri before joining LSU, was dominant down low as she made 11 of 14 shots and finished a point shy of her career best.
Gianna Kneepkens led Utah (27-5) with 20 points. Alissa Pili, a second-team AP All-American, had 14 points, but took just eight shots as LSU denied her the ball. She fouled out in the final minute.
SEATTLE 4 REGIONAL
IOWA 87, COLORADO 77
SEATTLE -- Caitlin Clark scored 31 points and No. 2 seed Iowa shook disappointments the past two seasons and reached the Elite Eight of the women's NCAA Tournament with a win over Colorado in the Seattle 4 Regional semifinals.
After two consecutive tournaments where Clark's season ended in the round of 16 and the round of 32, the Hawkeyes (29-6) will play for a chance at just the second Final Four berth in school history on Sunday.
Clark was the catalyst for Iowa's big second half, and the first-team All-American finished 11 of 22 shooting with four three-pointers and eight assists. It was her 11th game this season scoring at least 30 points.
But she had plenty of help, especially after Clark sat a chunk of the first half after picking up two fouls. She had 13 points at the break.
Monika Czinano added 15 points, including a key basket in the paint with 1:10 remaining. Kate Martin scored 16 and McKenna Warnock scored 10. Iowa shot 54% for the game and 59% in the second half.
Frida Formann led Colorado (25-9) with 21 points, but 19 of those came in the first half when her shooting carried the Buffaloes. Formann was shut down in the second half and fouled out with 6:37 remaining.
Colorado pulled within 76-70 on Quay Miller's three-pointer with 4:16 remaining and the deficit was down to 78-74 after Sherrod's steal and layup with 1:40 left. But that was the last push by the Buffaloes. Czinano scored in the paint and Iowa made seven free throws in the final minute.
NCAA Women’s
Basketball Tournament
TODAY’S REGIONAL SEMIFINALS
GREENVILLE 1 REGIONAL
Notre Dame vs. Maryland, 10:30 a.m.
UCLA vs. South Carolina, 1 p.m.
SEATTLE 3 REGIONAL
Ohio State vs. UConn, 3 p.m.
Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech, 5:30 p.m.
SUNDAY’S REGIONAL FINALS
GREENVILLE 2 REGIONAL
Miami vs. LSU, 6 p.m.
SEATTLE 4 REGIONAL
Louisville vs. Iowa, 8 p.m.
LSU's Alexis Morris (45) celebrates with the bench moments in the closing seconds against Utah in a Sweet 16 college basketball game of the women's NCAA Tournament in Greenville, S.C., Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
LSU coach Kim Mulkey argues a call during during the second half of the team's Sweet 16 college basketball game against Utah in the women's NCAA Tournament in Greenville, S.C., Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
Utah's Dasia Young falls tio the floor as LSU's Alexis Morris (45) dribbles the ball in the background during the second half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game of the women's NCAA Tournament in Greenville, S.C., Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
LSU's Angel Reese, at right, hugs teammate Alexis Morris, left, after defeating Utah in a Sweet 16 college basketball game of the NCAA Tournament in Greenville, S.C., Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
LSU fans celebrate as players leave the court after defeating Utah in a Sweet 16 college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament in Greenville, S.C., Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
Utah's Alissa Pili (35) fights for control of the basketball with LSU's Kateri Poole (55) during the first half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game of the women's NCAA Tournament in Greenville, S.C., Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
LSU coach Kim Mulkey greets a young person after LSU defeated Utah in a Sweet 16 college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament in Greenville, S.C., Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
Utah's Jenna Johnson (22) is comforted by head coach Lynne Roberts, right, after missing two free throws that could have tied or put the team in the lead late in the second half against LSU during a Sweet 16 college basketball game of the NCAA Tournament in Greenville, S.C., Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
LSU's Kateri Poole (55) drives against Utah's Jenna Johnson and Dasia Young (34) during the first half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament in Greenville, S.C., Friday, March 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)