LSU clinches 2-seed in SEC tourney with win over UGA

ATHENS, Ga. – All 5 starters reached double figures for No. 9 LSU (25-4, 12-3 SEC) on Thursday night time because the Tigers ran away from Georgia (12-16, 3-12 SEC), 80-54. The group of seven,406 inside Stegeman Coliseum was the biggest for a ladies’s basketball sport at Georgia since 2012.

With the win on Thursday night time, LSU locked the No. 2 seed within the SEC for the third yr in a row and the Tigers will play subsequent Friday in Greenville, South Carolina at 5 p.m. CT.

Angel Reese completed the night time with a double-double after scoring 17 factors and hauling in 15 rebounds. She now has 19 double-doubles on the season. Aneesah Morrow recorded her seventeenth double-double with 16 factors and 10 boards. Morrow added a brand new season excessive of 5 assists.

“I by no means take that without any consideration,” Coach Kim Mulkey mentioned of getting two gamers who persistently get double-doubles. “I all the time inform our coaches, we see these children on a regular basis and we see what they do in games- we will not take it without any consideration. What they do in getting double-doubles, Angel and Morrow, that does not simply occur. These rebounds do not simply fall of their lap. These factors do not simply occur, They work in there.”

Hailey Van Lith led all scorers with 18 factors that featured 4 made three-pointers and an ideal 4-4 from the foul line. Flau’Jae Johnson completed with 14 factors as she performed in her residence state of Georgia for the primary time as a Tiger. Mikaylah Williams rounded out the beginning 5 that reached double digits with 11 factors.

Javyn Nicholson led the Bulldogs with 17 factors on 7-13 from the sphere and 5 rebounds. Asia Avinger added 10 factors with a pair of three pointers. No different Bulldogs reached double figures.

The Tigers went 32-71 from the sphere for 45-percent in comparison with Georgia’s 21-58 and 36-percent from the sphere. LSU solely allowed 9 turnovers whereas forcing 16 and scoring 20 factors off these turnovers. LSU gained the rebounding battle 43-25 and outscored the Bulldogs within the paint by 30, 38-8.

LSU is slated to return residence for a match up towards Kentucky on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT contained in the PMAC on the SEC Community. It will likely be the ultimate contest earlier than the convention match that can start on March eighth in Greenville, SC.

Morrow scored the primary six of LSU’s factors because the Tigers took a 8-5 lead earlier than the opening timeout. Morrow was 3-3 from the sphere within the first three minutes of motion. After the timeout, Morrow added a pair extra and Williams knocked down a triple to drive Georgia to name its first 30-second timeout. Avinger made a pair of threes to steer the Bulldogs on a 8-2 run that minimize the LSU result in two. The Tigers prolonged their result in 9 earlier than the top of the quarter as Van Lith related on a three-point buzzer beater, her third straight sport with a last-second shot to finish 1 / 4.

After a fast bucket from Georgia, LSU went on an 8-0 run to take a 15-point benefit 4 minutes into the second quarter. Morrow reached double figures with 3:half-hour to play within the first half. Williams break up two defenders in transition to seek out Reese downcourt for a straightforward lay that gave the Tigers their first 20 level lead of the night time. LSU took a 45-23 lead into the break after the Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 21-8 within the second quarter. Each Reese and Morrow completed the half with 12 factors every whereas the pair mixed for 12 of the workforce’s 22 rebounds.

LSU scored 24 factors within the first half to outscore Georgia’s whole factors of 23. The Tigers have been dominant on the glass with 9 extra boards than their opponent, 22-13. Only one Bulldog scored greater than six factors whereas LSU had all 5 starters with 6 factors or extra within the first half.

The Tigers opened the third on a 7-0 run to maneuver its margin to 29 earlier than the media break just below three minutes into the motion. Savannah Henderson broke the sphere objective drought for Georgia with a triple to maneuver again inside 30. Late within the quarter LSU was unable to attain for the ultimate 3:30, whereas UGA scored 14 unanswered factors to make it a 15-point LSU lead heading to the fourth.

Morrow ended the 16-0 Georgia run with a second likelihood putback to place the Tigers again up by 15 with over 8 minutes remaining in regulation. LSU constructed off the a lot wanted bucket to provide a 9-0 run and maintain the Bulldogs scoreless for over 4 minutes. The Tigers held a 73-48 lead on the ultimate media timeout. LSU rode it lead and cruised to its seventh consecutive win, 80-54.