LSU Moves To 2-0 In SEC Play With OT Victory At Ole Miss

Photo By: LSU/SEC

1/4/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Judy Willson


LSU Moves To 2-0 In SEC Play With OT Victory At Ole Miss




OXFORD, Miss.— The LSU women’s basketball team hit the road Monday to take on the Ole Miss Rebels in The Pavilion after a thrilling comeback victory against Auburn on New Year’s Eve in the PMAC. The Tigers took down the Rebels in overtime, 77-69.

The Tigers improve to 4-4 on the season and 2-0 in the SEC. The Rebels fall to 6-1 on the season and 0-1 in the SEC.

This matchup was originally scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 3 but was postponed to Monday, Jan. 4, due to COVID concerns within the Ole Miss program. The Rebels dressed eight out of their 12 players and LSU took advantage of the numbers down the stretch with two Rebels fouling out.

Senior Khayla Pointer had one of her strongest games of the season posting a double-double, the fourth of her career and her first of the season. She finished with 18 points, a season-high, and 12 assists, matching her career-best. With her performance, Pointer sits at No. 11 on the LSU career assists list with 377. She surpassed former Tigers Brenda McGuffee (370; 1976-78) and Jeanne Kenney (372; 2010-14). Pointer needs seven assists to move into a three-way tie for ninth place with Marie Ferdinand (384; 1997-2001) and Latasha Dorsey (384; 1996-99). Pointer also filled her stats line with five rebounds and team-high three steals.

Redshirt senior Faustine Aifuwa matched her career-best and led LSU with 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Senior Karli Seay posted a career-high 13 points and sophomore Tiara Young contributed a season-high 16 points off the bench. Young added a career-high eight rebounds and tied a career-high with four assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After Ole Miss got the scoring started within the first minute of the ballgame, LSU responded with a three-pointer from Pointer. Ole Miss led early, 4-3.
• Pointer found the bottom of the net for another three after Ole Miss expanded their lead momentarily with two free throws. Pointer’s three tied it up at six. LSU took the lead with a 12-footer from senior Awa Trasi.
• Redshirt-senior Rakell Spencer added to the Tigers lead with a pair of free throws. Aifuwa added to the score column with a jumper from the left elbow, and Young hit a jumper from the wing. At the media timeout, LSU led 14-11.
• Ole Miss tied it up at 14 out of the break. An assist from Pointer led to a made jumper from Young, retaking the lead for LSU. The Tigers led 19-16 at the end of the first quarter.
• Two minutes into the second quarter, Ole Miss got the scoring started, but empty possessions characterized the early parts of this quarter for both teams. By the first timeout of the quarter, the Tigers and Rebels put up effective shots. The game was tied at 21.
• Ole Miss came out of the break and hit a three-pointer, but Aifuwa responded with a jumper. The Rebels added two three-pointers and extended their lead to 30-23. LSU called a timeout with 1:17 left in the first half.
• The Tigers forced a turnover late and produced two straight possessions, finishing the half down three, 30-27.
• Ole Miss got the scoring started at the beginning of the second quarter, extending the Rebels’ lead to 34-27. Aifuwa responded with a jumper bringing the Tigers within five.
• LSU began to close the gap, but Ole Miss was able to maintain the five-point lead halfway through the third quarter. Ole Miss led at the third-quarter media break.
• Ole Miss would extend its lead with an 11-1 run to 47-34 with 2:11 left in the third quarter.
• LSU turned up the pressure and cut the Rebel lead to seven. Both teams traded a couple of buckets, but LSU trailed 52-44 at the end of the third quarter.
• After an early timeout in the fourth quarter, Seay brought the Tigers within six, hitting an 18-foot jumper. Trasi added a layup from the right baseline bringing the score to 52-48.
• LSU had a response from the Rebels’ attempt to extend the lead with Young hitting back-to-back baskets to get the Tigers within two, 56-54. Ole Miss extended their lead to eight, but Pointer cut it to a six-point game with a runner. She would cut the lead to four with two more free-throws with 2:43 left in regulation.
• Aifuwa cut it to two, and Pointer tied it up with 1:42 to go in the game at 62. The Tigers’ relentless defensive effort led to an Aifuwa layup on a fastbreak with 1:10 left in the 4th quarter. The Rebels would tie it before taking a timeout at 64 with 49 seconds left.
• The game was tied at 64 headed into overtime.
• LSU started the overtime period with four straight points from Seay and Aifuwa before Ole Miss responded to bring the Rebels within two. The Tigers would extend the lead again to 72-66.
• The Tigers finished off the comeback, winning 77-69.

Up Next

The Tigers will remain on the road and head to Coleman Coliseum to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide, Thursday, Jan. 7. The matchup will be streamed on the SEC Network Plus at 6 p.m. CT. As always, you can listen to the Voice of the Tigers, Patrick Wright, broadcasting on 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge.

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Photos Below By: LSU/SEC