The LSU women’s basketball team overcame an early double-digit deficit on the road to pull out a 93-77 victory over Duke on Tuesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
With the win in the ACC-SEC Challenge, Kim Mulkey’s No. 5-ranked Tigers remain undefeated on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Duke came out with a strong effort to start the game as Toby Fournier’s layup sparked a 14-1 run for the Blue Devils. LSU didn’t make its first field goal until MiLaysia Fulwiley’s layup with 6:24 left in the first quarter.
LSU continued to claw back into the game and finally got to double figures with a Jada Richard jumper, which made it 19-11 in favor of Duke with 3:53 left. The Tigers’ defense continued to clamp down on the Blue Devils, and LSU managed to cut the lead down to one point twice in the final minute and a half of the quarter.
Duke got some momentum back as Ashlon Jackson hit a three-pointer right before the end of the first. Duke held a 24-20 lead.
LSU came out with back-to-back buckets by Amiya Joyner and Flau’jae Johnson tying the game 24-24. A few moments later, Joyner made a layup, which gave the Tigers a 26-24 lead, their first advantage of the game.
The two teams would go back and forth for most of the second quarter, as the game went from being a two-point lead to tied over and over again. After a layup by Fournier, the game was tied 38-38 with 3:52 left in the second.
LSU’s Grace Knox hit a pair of free throws, then made a layup and made another free throw to give the Tigers a 43-38 lead with 3:11 left in the first half. Duke cut the lead down to four points with under a minute to go, but Fulwiley hit two free throws and a layup to give LSU a 51-43 lead at the break.
A pair of jumpers by Mikaylah Williams gave the Tigers a 64-52 lead with less than five minutes to go in the third. Duke’s Jackson drained a three to cut LSU’s lead down to six points, but Williams hit a three of her own at the buzzer of the third. The Tigers held a 71-61 lead heading to the fourth.
After a three by Johnson, LSU pushed its lead to 12 points with 7:23 left in the fourth. Duke answered with a jumper by Delaney Thomas but LSU responded. Kate Koval made a layup and then Knox made a layup and a free throw to push the Tigers lead back to 15 points with under six minutes to go.
LSU maintained its double-digit lead the rest of the game to seal the victory.
BIG NUMBER: 52
With their outside shooting off on Thursday night, LSU found success in the paint as the Tigers scored 52 points in the paint. Duke, meanwhile, scored 36 points in the paint.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: AMIYA JOYNER & MIKAYLAH WILLIAMS
Joyner gave the Tigers a spark offensively that helped them overcome the early deficit. She ended the game with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting with five rebounds. Williams, meanwhile, started finding her shot in the second and ended the game with 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting and seven assists.
UP NEXT: LSU (9-0) will return to the hardwood on Sunday when it plays at the University of New Orleans. Tip is set for 3 p.m., and all the action can be heard on Mustang 107.1 FM — Acadiana’s Classic Country.