LSU women’s Basketball took care of business in Nashville Thursday night, as they secured an 82-63 win in the Music City over Vanderbilt.
With this win, LSU improves its record to 26-1 overall and 14-1 in SEC play. The Tigers will officially finish in second place behind South Carolina in the SEC regular-season standings. They’ve also secured a bye in the SEC Tournament.
“Two years in a row, finished second in the league behind the national champions,” head coach Kim Mulkey said. “We need to recognize that, I need to recognize that, and someday our goal is to finish as champion.”
The Memorial Gymnasium at Vanderbilt is a unique setting. With the raised court and the baseline benches, it’s unlike any court in college basketball. But on top of that, the arena did not have air conditioning, and the LSU players and coaches were forced to adjust.
“This is my first time to coach in this arena,” Mulkey said. “I knew about the baseline, that the benches are on the baseline, but no one told me that they don’t have A/C here…both teams have to play in it. I’m sure they practice in it.”
Angel Reese led the Tigers with her 26th double-double performance of the season. She finished with 23 points and 18 rebounds, 13 of which were defensive rebounds.
The Tigers saw the veteran experience once again with Alexis Morris. She continued to facilitate and scored 21 points on the night, along with three rebounds and five assists. Morris led the Tigers in the second half with 16 points.
Not only Reese, but the rest of the Tigers’ posts also shined. Sa’Myah Smith and LaDazhia Williams held their own down low; Williams scored 13 points and eight rebounds and Smith scored eight points with three rebounds.
“I hate that LaDazhia [Williams] got in foul trouble because I thought she was doing some good things for us at the top where her man was setting the pick,” Mulkey said. “LaDazhia is very good there, she did it good against Arkansas to start the year.”
Coming off a career-high performance against Florida on Sunday, Jasmine Carson continued to put points on the board. She added nine points on the night, with three made three-pointers. Having Carson find her shot as the regular season concludes could be a game-changer for the Tigers in the postseason.
Ciaja Harbison led Vanderbilt as she has all season. She scored a team-high in 21 points, including five made three-pointers. In addition, she grabbed five rebounds and had three assists. Jada Brown scored in double-figures for Vanderbilt with 10 points.
“They do play hard,” Mulkey said. “I’m so impressed with how Shea [Ralph] has them playing hard and playing with as much confidence as they play with.”
Harbison led Vanderbilt in a third-quarter surge with 12 points, in which the Commodores came within as little as six points of LSU.
”They started hitting shots, I thought we got lazy,” Mulkey said. “I don’t know if it was fatigue, I don’t know what it was, but we have to learn to separate.”
But the Tigers were able to use their physicality down low, and complement it with offensive efficiency by Morris and Reese.
LSU will return to the PMAC for its last game of the regular season on Sunday. They will face off with the Mississippi State Bulldogs for senior night at 5 p.m. C.T., and the matchup will be televised live on ESPN.
