BATON ROUGE – The second-ranked LSU gymnastics team (4-0, 3-0 SEC) begins the month of February, which features five meets in four weeks, against No. 11 Missouri (5-2, 1-2 SEC) Friday night inside the Maravich Center.
Fans are encouraged to arrive early with introductions beginning at 7:10 p.m. CT. First vault is set for 7:31 p.m. on SECNetwork+ through WatchESPN.com and the app. Lynn Rollins, Lori Strong-Ballard and Kaleigh Dickson Abboud will have the call for the broadcast.
DD Previews SEC Matchup
“I was proud of the way we controlled beam and floor last week to win the meet,” head coach D-D Breaux said. “This week we just need to go out and continue working on the little things that will help us down the line. I tell the team every week that we are competing against the rest of the country, and we are excited to get in the PMAC and perform in front of a great crowd.”
Meet Promotions
Friday is the Dads and Daughters meet. The team will host dads and daughters in a pre-meet activity as well as a post-meet Q&A. Fans are encouraged to arrive early with lights out at 7:10 p.m. CT for team introductions.
Arrive Early
Record crowds are anticipated for the meet. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and purchase tickets in advance online at LSUtix.net to avoid long lines. Many lots around the Maravich Center are free and open to the public, including 101, 104 and 105. North Stadium Drive will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at 4 p.m. Lot 201 and 300 off of North stadium Drive will be reserved.
Geaux Clear
Fans are also reminded of LSU’s “Geaux Clear” policy that is in effect at all athletic venues. The policy allows for only clear tote bags smaller than 12” x 6” x 12” or one-gallon plastic freezer bags to be permitted. Bags must be clear and transparent and cannot be tinted, textured or patterned. For full details on the policy, please visit www.LSUSports.net/GeauxClear.
A Look at Missouri
Missouri started off the season 5-0 before losing its last two meets against No. 4 Alabama and No. 12 Georgia. The Tigers rank seventh on vault, ninth on floor, 15th on beam and 22nd on bars. This season, Mizzou beat No. 12 Arkansas in Fayetteville for the program’s first SEC road victory in school history. Freshman Aspen Tucker has competed in the all-around this season and owns two titles, including one against Alabama.
Series Record Between LSU and Mizzou
LSU owns a 32-6-0 all-time record over Missouri, including 13-0 record at home. Last season, the Tigers faced off against each other at the Metroplex Challenge where LSU finished second overall. In 2015, LSU defeated Missouri in Baton Rouge, 197.350-192.725. LSU owns a nine-meet win streak over Missouri with the last loss coming in 2010 at the Lady Luck Invitational in Las Vegas.
Home Win Streak Continues to Climb
LSU has gone undefeated at home for three-straight seasons. The Tigers are 23-0 in the Maravich Center since the start of the 2014 season. During that stretch, LSU has beaten No. 7 Alabama, No. 14 Auburn, No. 2 Florida, No. 9 Georgia, No. 16 Minnesota and No. 1 Oklahoma. The last loss in the Maravich Center came to Alabama in 2013.
Edney Named SEC Gymnast of the Week after All-Around Debut
Freshman Kennedi Edney was named the Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Week after her performance on the road against Kentucky. Edney was inserted into the floor lineup after the second rotation to make her all-around debut. The Chino, California native ended with a score of 39.625 for the third-highest all-around score by a freshman in school history.
Ashleigh “Bugs” Gnat – Seven Individual Titles in 2017
LSU’s Ashleigh Gnat, an 11-time All-American and the reigning SEC Specialist of the Year, is one of the top gymnasts in the country. Gnat already owns a perfect 10.0 on vault and leads the Tigers with seven individual titles this season. The senior has won three titles on vault and floor and one on beam.
LSU in the National Rankings
The Tigers own the second-highest average score in the country, a 197.588. LSU ranks No. 1 on beam, No. 2 on floor, and No. 3 on bars and vault. Gnat ranks second on vault, Edney owns the second spot in the all-around and Myia Hambrick ranks 5th on floor for the Tigers.
Fans can follow the Tigers on the team’s social media channels: @LSUgym on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, www.Facebook.com/lsugym and at YouTube.com/lsugymnastics.