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GAINESVILLE, Fla.- Jasmine Carson’s career-high 25 points and was backed by Angel Reese’s 25 points and 16 rebounds to lead the No. 5 LSU (25-1, 13-1 SEC) to a 90-79 victory over the Florida Gators (14-12, 3-10 SEC).
The Extactech Arena crowd of 3,498 was Florida’s largest home crowd of the season as many LSU fans came out to support the Tigers.
“I thought we controlled the game,” Coach Kim Mulkey said. “I felt very good about what we did the entire game. I think you’re gonna get everybody’s best shot. We’re not a hidden commodity any more. We’re relevant. I’ve got kids all over social media that these young people come on the road to see. I think that’s reflected in their attendance today.”
To get her career-high, Carson nailed seven three-pointers, the most by a LSU player since Pietra Gay also had seven in 1997. Reese notched her 25th double-double through 26 games this season within the first half on Sunday afternoon and she finished with 25 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals.
LaDazhia Williams recorded her third double-double of the season as she added 15 points and brought down 10 boards. Flau’jae Johnson scored 12, including 10 in the final quarter, and Alexis Morris led the way with 6 assists.
Kirsten Deans led Florida 30 points on 10-20 shooting and 5 three-pointers. Ra Shaya Kyle and Jordyn Merritt were the other Gators in double figures both scoring 12 points.
Up next the Tigers will stay on the road this week for a Thursday night matchup at Vanderbilt. Tip-Off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.CT and will be streamed live on the SEC Network +.
Florida jumped out to a 6-point 13-7 lead early on but the Tigers battled back to knot things up at 15 for the first media timeout. Morris and Johnson both picked up two quick fouls in the first, forcing them onto the bench early in the game. Carson and Reese led the way with 8 points a piece in the first quarter. Reese went 4-4 and had five rebounds and Carson hit two from deep to help LSU earn a 27-23 lead after the opening ten minutes.
The first quarter included five lead changes and five ties. LSU’s 27 first quarter points were the most in the opening quarter of any game this season inside conference play.
Last-Tear Poa hit a deep three on the wing to open the second quarter and push the LSU lead to seven. Poa’s three started a 10-0 run that gave the Tigers their largest lead of the night, jumping ahead by 14 without letting Florida score in the first four minutes of the second. Carson hit back to back threes within 32 seconds of each other to total a career high 5 three-pointers within the half. LSU went into the break with a 47-31 lead after holding the Gators to just 8 second quarter points.
The Tigers were on fire in the first-half, making 56-percent of their shot attempts (67-percent from beyond the arc) to jump out to the 16-point lead. Carson set a career-high before halftime with five made threes as her and Reese combined for 31 first half points. Coming off a 36 point and 20 rebound game Thursday against Texas A&M, Reese kept it rolling and finished the first half with 14 points and 13 rebounds, her ninth first half double-double of the season.
Through the first five minutes of third quarter action Florida held the Tigers scoreless and to cut the lead to 9 after putting together a 9-0 run. A technical foul on Nina Rickards sent Morris to the foul line who went 2-2 to snap the Florida run and give LSU its first points of the quarter. Carson continued her career performance from deep as she hit a three to total 20 points and bring the LSU lead back to double figures.
The Gators outscored LSU 19-12 in the third and trailed by nine as they headed into the final quarter. The Tigers shot only 26.7-percent in the quarter and were unable to get their desired post touches as the Gators made a dent in the LSU lead.
Johnson scored 10 in the fourth quarter on 4-4 shooting to reach double figures. Reese scored 11 more and both Williams and Carson had 5 in the final quarter. Florida’s Deans dropped 13 in the fourth but it was not enough to get past the deficit. Florida earned 7 points off of free throws and only had two boards. The Tigers held its lead and finished the night with a 11-point win for LSU’s 25th victory of the season.
18 фев 2023
