BATON ROUGE, La. — In an intense matchup on Thursday night, the seventh-ranked LSU Tigers overcame the 13th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners with a score of 107-100. However, the game was marred by an early incident that led to two ejections midway through the first quarter.

The altercation began when Oklahoma center Beatrice Culliton was vying for position against LSU forward Sa’Myah Smith in the paint. As they wrestled for space, Culliton attempted to create some distance by lifting her arm, which led Smith to retaliate by pushing Culliton down to the floor. Oklahoma forward Liz Scott, who was near the two players, responded by shoving Smith, escalating the situation.

Following the scuffle, LSU’s assistant of basketball operations, Joe Schwartz, was instrumental in separating the players and escorting Smith back to the bench. The officials reviewed the incident and determined that Smith’s actions warranted an ejection, subsequently calling a foul on her before she left the game.

Coach Kim Mulkey of LSU expressed her disappointment regarding Smith’s dismissal, noting that it was unexpected considering Smith’s usually composed demeanor. “Pushing, I guess, is considered fighting,” Mulkey remarked, before highlighting the impact Smith’s absence would have on the team, as they are focused on her development. Mulkey referenced her mentor, former Louisiana Tech coach Leon Barmore, who emphasized the importance of maintaining composure during heated moments in games.

After the ejections, the game continued with Oklahoma holding a slim lead at 12-11. The Sooners exploited what was perceived as a favorable matchup without the 6-foot-2 Smith on the court. They exhibited great resilience, managing to close a significant gap after trailing by 24 points late in the third quarter, eventually narrowing the deficit to a mere one point as the game approached its final moments.