BATON ROUGE, La. — In an exciting clash on Monday night, the No. 5 Tigers maintained their perfect record with an 83-77 victory over Vanderbilt, thanks to impressive performances from Flau’Jae Johnson, who contributed 25 points, and Aneesah Morrow, who added 23 points. The game was tightly contested, showcasing 13 lead changes and a scenario where neither team could pull ahead by more than six points. Johnson and Morrow played pivotal roles, scoring 10 of LSU’s final 12 points, while Mikaylah Williams sealed the win with a pair of free throws, ultimately finishing with 20 points. With this win, the Tigers improved to 19-0 overall and 4-0 in the SEC, marking one of the best starts in the program’s history.
Vanderbilt’s efforts were led by Khamil Pierre, who scored a game-high 28 points and secured eight rebounds. Iyana Moore also made significant contributions, adding 23 points to the scoreboard for the Commodores, who now hold a record of 14-4 and 1-3 in conference play.
During the first half, Vanderbilt capitalized on LSU’s overly aggressive play style, drawing five charging fouls. This included four fouls in the second quarter, helping them overcome a six-point deficit to equalize the score at 37-37 by halftime.
On the other hand, LSU displayed dominance on the boards, out-rebounding Vanderbilt 45-25. Morrow’s remarkable effort of 15 rebounds not only helped the team but also made her the eighth player in NCAA Division I history to reach the milestone of 2,500 points and 1,500 rebounds. Support from the backcourt was evident as Johnson, Williams, and Kailyn Gilbert collectively contributed 13 rebounds.
A key moment came when Johnson missed a layup among the traffic after an offensive rebound, but Morrow swiftly collected the rebound and executed a putback, giving LSU a crucial 79-74 lead with just 59 seconds remaining in the game.
One interesting statistic to note is LSU’s shooting performance from beyond the arc. After starting SEC play with a shaky 9 for 23 record in three-pointers against Arkansas, the Tigers have struggled, now hitting just 4 of 23 over their last three games. Against Vanderbilt, they slightly improved, making 3 of 9 attempts from deep.
Looking ahead, LSU will face Florida on Sunday, while Vanderbilt will prepare to host No. 15 Tennessee in their next outing.
