FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 6 LSU (16-0, 1-0 SEC) blew out Arkansas (7-9, 0-1 SEC) in its conference opener with a dominate 98-64 win on Thursday night at Bud Walton Arena.
“I could tell we were clicking on all cylinders from the start,” head coach Kim Mulkey commented after the game. “Our transition offense and ability to capitalize on long rebounds really pushed us down the court with confidence.”
Senior forward Aneesah Morrow had an outstanding performance, recording her 14th double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. This impressive feat also marked her 88th career double-double, tying her for fourth-most in NCAA Division I history.
Freshman guard Flau’jae Johnson also left her mark on the game, achieving her fourth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore guard Kailyn Gilbert led LSU with 16 points while shooting an efficient 7-of-12 from the field in just 18 minutes of play. Junior guard Mikaylah Williams also made significant contributions with 14 points, along with two rebounds and a steal.
Last-Tear Poa showed off her shooting prowess, hitting an impressive 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and tallying 9 points along with 6 assists. Rookie guard Jersey Wolfenbarger faced her former team and put up solid numbers with 8 points and 5 rebounds. The Tigers had contributions from all 12 players who saw action in this dominant performance.
“I was thoroughly impressed with Poa’s performance,” Coach Mulkey reflected. “We knew they would try to double-team Morrow, but Poa stepped up and hit some crucial shots, gaining confidence in the process.”
Arkansas had strong performances from senior guard Izzy Higginbottom, who scored a game-high 27 points on 10-of-21 shooting, and junior forward Vera Ojenuwa, who grabbed 8 rebounds. However, the Razorbacks struggled overall, shooting just 36% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc.
From the beginning of the game, it was clear that LSU had control. Williams started off the scoring for the Tigers in this crucial matchup. The team quickly jumped out to a 7-0 lead, hitting 3-of-5 shots right away. Poa’s first three-pointer extended the lead to 12-2. Although Arkansas mounted an 8-0 run late in the first quarter, LSU maintained a comfortable 23-14 lead at its close, with Wolfenbarger leading the way with 6 points on an efficient 3-of-4 shooting performance. LSU’s defense was stingy, forcing 7 turnovers in the first period alone.
The second quarter started off strong for LSU as well, with Sa’Myah Smith hitting a smooth mid-range jumper to ignite the offense. The Tigers continued to assert themselves with a 9-4 run and held Arkansas to just 2-of-5 shooting to start the period. A pull-up three from Williams boosted the lead to 37-22 midway through. The Tigers’ suffocating defense was on full display once again as they held Arkansas scoreless for the last four minutes of the half, resulting in an impressive 51-26 lead at halftime. Six players contributed with at least 6 points each, and LSU’s three-point shooting in the first half was excellent at an effective rate of 5-of-9. Taking advantage of their aggressive defense which forced 13 turnovers, LSU scored 19 points off those opportunities and dominated in fastbreak situations – scoring 18 points while limiting Arkansas to zero.
The third quarter saw LSU continue their dominance as Morrow and Johnson both scored early on. Poa drained her third three-pointer of the game to extend LSU’s lead to 30 points with 7 minutes remaining in the quarter. The Tigers’ dominance continued throughout the period, as they shot an impressive 7-of-11 in the first five minutes and out-rebounded Arkansas 7-1. Johnson was a key contributor on offense during this stretch, scoring 7 points on an efficient 2-of-3 shooting while also pulling down 3 rebounds. LSU outscored the Razorbacks 32-10 in the third quarter alone, establishing a commanding 83-36 lead heading into the final frame. The Tigers’ defense continued to suffocate Arkansas, holding them to just 4-of-16 shooting while forcing 7 turnovers and shooting a solid 12-of-21 themselves.
As the fourth quarter began, both Morrow and Johnson had earned double-doubles – Morrow achieving her 14th of the season. Although Arkansas tried to make a comeback by launching an 11-1 run, it was not enough to overcome LSU’s formidable lead. LSU finished strong and Mulkey said they should be refreshed against Auburn on Sunday.
Easy Money
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) January 3, 2025
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Triple for 30
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) January 3, 2025
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