On Sunday, LSU had a chance to push for the Nation's Top Overall Seed and First Place in the SEC against the 3rd ranked Texas Longhorns. Kim Mulkey's team came into the game with Flau'Jae Johnson questionable to play and while she did go, LSU's offense never looked fully in sync.
In the first quarter, every possession was a battle and the defenses had the advantage early as LSU turned the ball over 9 times while Texas gave it away 6 times. In the second quarter, LSU cut down on its turnovers which allowed the Tigers to outscore Texas 18-9 which gave LSU a 9 point lead at half. Aneesah Morrow was the difference maker in the first half grabbing 15 rebounds which was massive in a game this tightly contested.
Coming out of the locker room, both offenses woke up as the teams started to find their rhythm shooting the basketball. At times in the third quarter, it looked like LSU may run away with the game taking as big as a 12 point lead but, the Longhorns kept chipping away sending the game to the 4th quarter with LSU leading 49-44.
At the start of the fourth quarter, LSU's offense couldn't get anything going which allowed the Longhorns to take a lead with 6 minutes to play. The Longhorns made five straight shots during a stretch in the last five minutes which put LSU on the brink in the final two minutes. The Tigers offense was never able to cut into Texas' lead and being outscored 21-9 in the fourth quarter cost LSU the game.
The Tigers shot just 13 for 19 at the free throw line missing out on six points while Texas hit all 21 attempts at the line which was the difference in this game. Outside of LSU's big three, the Tigers scored just 9 points which is never going to lead to victory in a game against an opponent as good as Texas.
The loss likely knocks LSU out of contention for the SEC Regular season Championship race as South Carolina and Texas now have just one loss to LSU's two. The Tigers now get a few days to rest which is important for Flau'Jae Johnson before facing Georgia and Kentucky this week.