The LSU women’s basketball team defeated Georgia, 64-52, Thursday night in the PMAC for its fifth win in its last six games.
LSU (15-10, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) was able to fend off Georgia (17-9, 5-8 SEC), which is on a six-game losing streak with all of those losses in the SEC. The losing streak has dropped Georgia out of the top-25 rankings, and the loss extended the ninth losing streak of five games or more in the Lady Bulldogs’ history.
With the win, the Lady Tigers extended their home-game winning streak to six. They have not lost a matchup in the PMAC since losing to then-No. 1 South Carolina on Jan. 4.
LSU coach Nikki Caldwell said her team continues to make strides toward the end of its season.
“Tonight was one more step that we took in the right direction and we did so against a very good basketball team in Georgia,” Caldwell said. “This team is growing and each game we are learning things about each other and tonight we had quality play from several different people.”
Though Georgia was without three of its five starters, the Lady Tigers started the game on a tear, going on a 14-3 run early in the first half. They allowed Georgia to crawl back into the game but stifled its 8-0 run to enter the locker room at halftime leading by six.
LSU came out of the break and went on a 10-0 tear mid-way through the second half, at one point going ahead by 14. The Lady Tigers allowed the Lady Bulldogs to get within nine late in the second period before pulling away for good.
LSU was led by sophomore guard Raigyne Moncrief and junior guard Danielle Ballard, who each had a double-double. Moncrief had a game high 16 points and reeled in 10 rebounds. Ballard contributed with her double-double being acquired before the halfway mark in the second half. She finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Moncrief said she and her teammates have been confident since the beginning of the season they were capable of such dominant basketball.
“We always knew we were that team,” Moncrief said. “We had to start winning games and going on runs for us to actually believe it. I know the coaching staff always believed that we were that team but we just had to start believing that ourselves. It started in practice and we started off kind of rough, but once we started winning when the SEC came, it was another season.”
LSU’s next matchup is against SEC rival Arkansas on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The Razorbacks (15-10, 5-8 SEC) lost Thursday to No. 2 South Carolina, but have won four of their last six contests. They are led by sophomore guard Kelsey Brooks, who is third in the SEC with 15 points per game.