ATHENS, Ga. – Senior Flau’jae Johnson paced the 12th-ranked LSU women’s basketball team with 25 points as she led the Tigers to an 80-59 victory against the Georgia Bulldogs Thursday night inside Stegeman Coliseum.
With the victory, LSU secured its first conference win of the SEC slate, improving its record to 15-2 overall and 1-2 in SEC play. With the loss, Georgia dropped to 15-2 on the season and 1-2 in league play.
LSU returns to action Sunday afternoon to take on No. 2 Texas inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The contest is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. CT, and it will be televised on ESPN with Beth Mowins (play-by-play) and Rebecca Lobo (analyst) on the call. Fans can also tune into the LSU Sports Radio Network as Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams call the action.
Johnson, a native of Savannah, Ga., bounced back from her scoreless night at Vanderbilt, putting up 25 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. She surpassed 1,800 career points at LSU, becoming the ninth Tiger to score at least 1,800 points in their career. Johnson shot 9-of-13 from the field and drained all six free throw attempts.
Johnson’s 25 points was a season high for the 5-10 guard.
Junior MiLaysia Fulwiley joined Johnson as LSU’s second leading scorer with 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, four blocks and two steals. Johnson and Fulwiley were joined by senior Amiya Joyner (12) and freshman ZaKiyah Johnson (12) with double digits in scoring.
Joyner brought down 11 rebounds with her 12 points, which marked her fifth double-double of the season and the 46th of her collegiate career.
Georgia guard Trinity Turner broke the scoring seal in the SEC contest with a made jumper 42 seconds into the ballgame. LSU sophomore Kate Koval tied it up with a made jumper, and junior Mikaylah Williams gave the Tigers their first lead of the game with a three-pointer. Locked at seven with 5:55 to play in the quarter, LSU would take a 9-7 advantage and maintain its lead throughout the remainder of the period.
The Tigers extended their lead to eight and held a 19-15 lead at the close of the quarter.
LSU came out strong in the second quarter as Georgia attempted to come back. Despite getting as close as three points, the Tigers started to build on their lead, reaching a 14-point advantage twice in the quarter. After LSU took its second 14-point lead with 1:21 remaining in the first half, the Bulldogs were able to close the gap to 10. LSU headed to the locker room with a 38-28 advantage.
Coming out of the first half, LSU continued to maintain its lead on the Bulldogs. In UGA’s attempts to cut the Tiger lead, LSU kept its foot on the gas. The home team sliced their deficit to five midway through the third quarter, but the visitors were able to hold on to the advantage at the end of the third.
The Tigers led 56-48 going into the fourth quarter, and they were able to turn the eight-point lead into a 21-point victory down the stretch.
