LSU Drops SEC Opener To No. 11 Kentucky, 80-78

BATON ROUGE, La. – Kentucky guard Tonie Morgan knocked down a three-pointer with 0.5 seconds remaining in the game to lift the 11th-ranked Wildcats over fifth-ranked LSU, 80-78, Thursday night inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

With the loss, LSU suffered its first defeat of the season, dropping to 14-1 overall and 0-1 in league play. Kentucky’s win improved its overall record to 14-1 and 1-0 in the SEC.

The Tigers will return to action Sunday in Nashville when LSU takes on No. 12 Vanderbilt inside Memorial Gymnasium. The contest is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. CT on ESPN with Beth Mowins (pxp) and Carolyn Peck (analyst) calling the action. Fans are encouraged to tune into the LSU Sports Radio Network with Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams on the call.

Morgan and forward Teonni Key paced the Wildcats with a double-double each as Morgan had 24 points and 12 assists, and Key recorded 17 points and 16 rebounds.

“You take (Morgan) off (Kentucky), they’re a different team,” Coach Kim Mulkey said. “She makes them go. And it’s not just the fact she had 24 and 12. She had no turnovers. She makes them go. It’s only fitting that she would be the one to hit the great shot at the end. But, she’s really a good player and she plays within the system. She makes everybody else on that team better.”

LSU shot 49.2% (30-61) throughout the contest compared to Kentucky’s 43.5% (30-69) from the field. The Wildcats outrebounded the Tigers by 16 and tallied 17 offensive boards to LSU’s four.

Junior Mikaylah Williams led the Tigers with 26 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Williams’ points and rebounds marked a season high for the 6-0 guard. Sophomore Jada Richard matched her career high in points with 14, while senior Flau’jae Johnson (15) and senior Amiya Joyner (14) also finished with double digits in scoring.

LSU opened the game on an extended scoring run, jumping out to a 14-2 run courtesy of Williams’ hot start with 10 points by the first media timeout. Kentucky responded with a scoring run of its own putting up 16 of the next 19 points. The Wildcats took the 18-17 lead with 1:18 remaining in the first quarter.

The Tigers closed the quarter with a 23-22 lead after knocking down shots.

In the second quarter, it was a back-and-forth affair as Kentucky began the quarter taking the lead back. The game of runs continued with the Tigers as LSU battled back to take the 31-30 lead with 5:25 left in the first half. The home team held the lead until the Wildcats tied it up at 39 as the last minute drained off the clock.

The teams would head into the locker room tied at 41.

LSU came out in the second half with a made jumper from Johnson to take the lead. The Tigers kept minimal distance before the Wildcats regained the advantage back 5:52 left in the quarter. Despite the short time with the lead, LSU retook the lead and lengthened its lead to nine. The Tigers throughout the period and led 65-60 by the end of it.

In the fourth quarter, LSU held the lead until the 2:10 mark before Morgan converted on two free throws to tie it up. Kentucky forward Clara Strack put the Wildcats in front with a made jumper from the left wing.

Williams tied the ballgame with three free throws before Morgan made the game-winning shot.

“I want to give Kentucky credit,” Mulkey said. “I thought Kentucky was poised. They have a ton of seniors. And as you heard many times in sports, experience matters; fifth-year seniors matter. If you would have told me that we would have been outrebounded with this group I have, there’s no way I would have believed you. But that goes back to experience, that goes back to toughness, and we just got to get better.”

(Release via LSU Athletics)

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