JOURNAL SPORTS
AUSTIN, Texas – No. 5 LSU battled in a defensive struggle against No. 3 Texas on Sunday afternoon, but the Tigers bowed 65-58 in a tightly contested Southeastern Conference women’s basketball game in a sold-out Moody Center.
The SEC showdown was the second top 5 loss by LSU (25-2, 10-2 SEC) in league play. Texas (26-2, 12-1) has also beaten former No. 2 South Carolina, which held off LSU last month.
“When we went to South Carolina, and now to Texas, both were good ball games,” coach Kim Mulkey said of LSU’s two losses this season. “We were in both games, had opportunities to possibly steal a victory, and we just didn’t get it done. And so you kind of evaluate, you have to execute and be extremely tough when it requires the toughness of you.”
Parkway product Mikaylah Williams (18), Flau’jae Johnson (16), and Aneesah Morrow (15) were the only double figure scorers for the Tigers. Morrow finished with a game-high 20 rebounds, her third fourth 20-rebound game this season, while recording her 24th double-double of the season. No other LSU player scored more than three points and the Texas bench outscored the LSU bench, 20-5.
The Longhorns were led by Madison Booker, who had 14 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Johnson was Booker’s primary defender and did a good job of limiting her to go 3-17 from the field. But Booker sank all 10 of her free throws and Texas hit all 21 tries from the charity stripe.
LSU led by 12 with 4:38 left in the third period, but the Longhorns upped their defensive pressure to mount a comeback. From that point, Texas outscored LSU 34-15.
The third quarter ended with the Tigers up, 49-44. Texas scored the next four points to get it back within one and LSU took a timeout. Texas took a four-point lead, holding LSU scoreless for the first five minutes of the quarter. Williams answered with LSU’s first bucket of the fourth quarter and shot LSU within one, converting an and-one jumper, but Texas extended it back to five as the Longhorns’ defense ratcheted up.
Johnson converted a putback to bring the Tigers within three and LSU took a timeout with 1:36 left in the game but could not crack the Texas defense to continue the rally.