COLUMBIA, Mo. — No. 5 LSU (17-0, 5-0 SEC) remained undefeated and the Tigers hit 10-three-pointers to take down Missouri (14-4, 3-2 SEC) Thursday night on the road, 77-57.
The last time LSU made at least 10 three pointers was in 2014, also at Missouri when the Tigers set a school-record with 13 threes.
LSU kept its perfect record alive as the Tigers continued their best start in program history. They remain as one of three undefeated team across the country.
Alexis Morris, who came off the bench, had her first 20-point game of the season, scoring 24-points and shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc. She also dished out five assists. After only scoring one point at Kentucky, Morris came back strong after playing limited minutes with flu-like symptoms in Lexington.
“She didn’t get to play much in the Kentucky game and then she took two days off of practice,” Coach Kim Mulkey said. “I was prepared to come here and not have her but she said that she felt better. So [Last-Tear] Poa started tonight and Alexis came in off the bench. You know, Alexis had one of her better offensive games.”
Despite only having 4 points and 4 rebounds in the first half, Angel Reese battled to her 17th double-double in as many games with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
“Angel Reese, yeah, I don’t know how you keep her from having a double-double honestly,” Coach Mulkey said. “She’s just that good. She’s that efficient. She’s just good.”
Jasmine Carson also had a productive evening with 12 points. LaDazhia Williams, LSU’s grad transfer from Missouri, finished the game with 6 points and 5 rebounds along with a block.
Mizzou was led by Lauren Hansen who tallied 22 points with 4 three-pointers. Hansen was followed by Mama Dembele who scored 11 and was the only other Missouri Tiger in double figures.
Williams and Reese, LSU’s two starting posts, both got two first-quarter fouls, but LSU’s guards shot the ball and played physical defense, allowing the Tigers to grow their lead into double-figures by halftime.Missouri started the third quarter hot and brought it back as close as within six, but LSU slammed the door late in the third quarter and ran away with the win.
LSU is scheduled to tip-off its game against Auburn at 2 p.m. on Sunday inside the PMAC. Before the game Seimone Augustus at 12:45 p.m. CT North of the PMAC will become the first female student-athlete in LSU school history with her own statue. Between the first and second quarters, Augustus will be recognized on the same floor where thousands of fans came to see her play throughout her legendary career.
Williams got comfortable early on her old court as she scored four of LSU’s first six points. Williams spent the last two seasons playing with Mizzou in Columbia. After nearly three scoreless minutes, Flau’jae Johnson broke the silence with her 20th three-pointer to give LSU a 9-2 lead. On the next two possessions LSU hit back-to-back threes from Carson and Morris. The LSU guards played well in important minutes as both Williams and Reese found themselves with 2 early fouls each. Missouri ended the quarter on 1 of its last 10 field goals compared to LSU’s 5 for 7. LSU ended the quarter with a 19-7 lead over Mizzou after Sa’Myah Smith hit a pick-and-pop jumper off a pass from Morris.
Carson scored the first points of the quarter as she picked up a steal at midcourt and nailed a pullup midrange jumper. After Hansen scored Mizzou’s first three of the night LSU responded with a 6-0 run to give LSU a 17 point lead. After coming off the bench in the first Morris scored her 12 points of the night to make a perfect 4-4 from behind the arc with just under four minutes to go before the break. After ending the first quarter on a shooting low, Mizzou went 5 of its last y and 3 of its last 3 just before the half. LSU headed into halftime with a 37-21 lead. The Tigers have led by double digits in every one of its games this season.
An early run in the third quarter allowed Missouri to climb back within 10 of LSU and Hansen hit a three with 5:36 left to make it a six point game as Mizzou outscored LSU 15-5 through the first five minutes of the third quarter. Mizzou put together another run as it went on a 9-0 run and forced LSU to a three minute scoring drought. Carson snapped the Missouri run with LSU’s ninth three-pointer of the night to improve the team to 9-13 from deep. After halting the Mizzou momentum LSU went on a 14-3 run to end the quarter. LSU went into the final quarter with a 15-point lead, 56-41.
After being outscored 20-19 in the third quarter the fourth was just as competitive. LSU held on to the lead it built in the first half to keep its comfortable lead. After sealing her 17th double-double of the season in the fourth, Reese scored 10 of her 20 points in the final quarter. Mizzou’s Hansen scored 7 more in the fourth to push her total past the 20-point mark. The Tigers early lead helped the visitors cruise to a 20-point win in Columbia, 77-57.