By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
COLUMBIA, Mo. – On a night when Flau’Jae Johnson had no immediate flow, when Aneesah Morrow missed 10 shots from point-blank range, when Mikaylah Williams bounced from position-to-position filling No. 6 LSU’s deficiencies, it took a Mjracle for the Tigers to beat the SEC’s last-place team.
Reserve guard Mjracle Sheppard scored 8 of her season-high 11 points in the fourth quarter to help LSU hold off Missouri for a 71-60 victory.
A 15-1 run to close the third quarter gave the visiting Tigers (24-1, 9-1 SEC) their largest lead at 51-39 entering the final period.
Missouri (12-13, 1-9 SEC) cut LSU’s lead to 7 points three times at 51-44, 53-46 and 60-53 in the final 10 minutes. But Sheppard twice responded with layups and Williams scored two free throws.
It was also a Sheppard drive, followed by a Williams’ 3-pointer that started a 9-4 LSU rally in the last 2:17 to close out the win.
LSU head coach Kim Mulkey had been waiting for Mississippi State transfer Sheppard to return to the form she flashed in the preseason before a stress reaction sidelined her for six weeks.
“Mjracle was outstanding tonight,” Mulkey said. “She pressured the ball. She’s very active, rebounding the ball for her size, and we sure needed her to be as good as she was tonight. It was very good for her confidence, and she deserves to have that kind of game, because that’s how she was playing before she got injured.”
Even when they struggled to find consistency, Johnson, Williams and Morrow combined for 48 points and 23 rebounds.
Johnson had 19 points and 7 rebounds, Parkway product Williams added 16 points including 3 of 4 3-pointers (she’s 14 of 24 in 3-pointers the last three games) and Morrow contributed 13 points and 14 rebounds.
Grace Slaughter led Missouri with 18 points and Ashton Judd had 17 points, including a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers that made it uncomfortable for LSU until almost the game-ending horn.
Mizzou led 15-11 at the end of the first quarter. LSU eventually finished the game shooting 39 percent from the field (23 of 59), but made just 4 of 14 shots (28.6 percent) in the opening period.
“Flau’Jae wasn’t in the flow, and I subbed real quickly,” Mulkey said. “Morrow wasn’t making her typical shot. I take Mikaylah and I’m like `I gotta have her at the point, no I need her at the 4 (power forward) and now let’s move her back to the 2 (shooting guard).
“It was that kind of game. As I told them (LSU’s players) in a timeout, ‘Just stay with it. Everything’s gonna work out. Just keep at it, because what you’re missing are good shots. They’re not bad shots.'”
LSU got the game back to more of its favored tempo and outscored Missouri 20-12 each in the second and third quarters.
A key element was LSU’s bench, which has been one of the Tigers’ weaknesses all season. Led by Sheppard, the Tigers bench outscored Mizzou’s reserves 21-5.
“Our bench was very productive, and that’s been a challenge,” Mulkey said. “I’ve challenged them lately. Everybody knows about the three main ones (Johnson, Williams and Morrow), but we have other good players.
“I need more production from people who come in off the bench. And I thought Mjracle, (Last Tear) Poa, Jada (Richard), even K.G. (Kailyn Gilbert) gave us something late.”
LSU returns home for a Sunday afternoon test at 3 vs. No. 19 Tennessee. Though the Tigers edged the Lady Vols 89-87 on Jan. 9 in Knoxville on Gilbert’s last-second game-winning drive, Tennessee is coming off its biggest win of the year under first-year head coach Kim Caldwell, who recently gave birth.
On Thursday night in Knoxville, the Lady Vols upset No. 5 UConn 80-76.
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com