COLUMBIA, Mo. — In a notable matchup, the No. 6 ranked LSU team came out on top, defeating Missouri with a score of 71-60. Flau’Jae Johnson was a key player, contributing 19 points alongside Mikaylah Williams, who added 16 points to the scoreboard. LSU, now boasting a record of 24-1 and 9-1 in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), has successfully claimed victory in their last six games.
Aneesah Morrow showcased her skills by scoring 13 points and securing 14 rebounds, marking her 22nd double-double in only 25 games, the highest in college basketball this season. For Missouri, Grace Slaughter led with 18 points, while Ashton Judd contributed 17 points. Angelique Ngalakulondi played a crucial role in rebounding, gathering a total of 12 boards before she fouled out of the game with 5:52 left on the clock. Missouri’s record now stands at 12-13 and 1-9 in the SEC, with their last six encounters against LSU resulting in losses since their last win on January 5, 2020.
The match saw Judd helping to propel Missouri to a 15-11 lead at the end of the first quarter, scoring five points despite both teams struggling from the field, combining for just 10 successful shots out of 32 attempts. However, as the game progressed, Judd hit a 3-pointer that temporarily gave Missouri a 38-36 lead late in the third quarter. LSU quickly responded, with Johnson sinking her own three-pointer shortly thereafter, allowing LSU to regain the lead at 41-38, a position they maintained until the end of the game.
Key insights reveal that LSU’s coach, Kim Mulkey, guided her team through a challenging shooting night by capitalizing on their three-point shots, converting seven out of 15 attempts, and making 18 of 24 free throws. Their defense intensified in the second half, leading to 10 points off turnovers caused by Missouri’s team. Missouri, under coach Robin Pingeton, showed resilience, managing to keep pace with LSU on rebounds in the first half but ultimately struggled to contain LSU’s offensive power both inside the paint and beyond the arc.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Johnson scored seven points and Williams contributed five points, each knocking down a three-pointer that ignited a 12-1 run for LSU in the final minutes of the third quarter, distancing themselves from Missouri. A notable statistic shows that under Mulkey’s leadership, LSU holds an impressive record of 64-0 when limiting opponents to 60 points or fewer.
Looking ahead, LSU is set to host Tennessee on Sunday, while Missouri will head to Texas A&M for their next game.
