(Photo Credit: @lsuwbkb on X)
BATON ROUGE, La. – Jersey Wolfenbarger logged career-highs with 18 points and 15 rebounds to help LSU (13-0) remain unbeaten and defeat Louisiana-Lafayette, 85-57, Sunday in the PMAC.
“I think just making sure physically and mentally I am staying ready for whatever opportunities Coach (Kim Mulkey) throws at me kind of motivated my performance today,” Wolfenbarger said, who earned her first start of the season Sunday. “My approach to every game is the exact same. I think today, just understanding that my role looks a little different starting; I had to start quick, I had to start strong, I had to do the little things.”
Aneesah Morrow recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 15 points and 15 rebounds. It marked her third straight game with at least 15 rebounds.
Mikaylah Williams and Kailyn Gilbert both scored 12 points in the contest, while Flau’Jae Johnson posted 11 points on an efficient 4-7 shooting mark.
ULL was led by Tamiah Robinson, who scored 15 points on 5-11 shooting.
Sunday kicked off a stretch of three games in five days for the Tigers. LSU will face Seton Hall on Tuesday in Uncasville, Connecticut as part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase. Then LSU will have its first true road game of the season at Illinois-Chicago for Morrow’s homecoming game.
Johnson got the game started for LSU with a mid range jumper on the first possession. The start of the first quarter featured strong defensive efforts and low scoring, but LSU managed to muster a 6-2 lead midway through the first quarter. After being fouled on back-to-back possessions, Wolfenbarger and Sa’myah Smith were able to convert free throws to give LSU a 9-5 lead with 3:30 remaining in the first quarter. The Tigers continued to struggle protecting the basketball, and ended the first quarter with 9 turnovers. LSU led ULL 16-11 after the first period with Wolfenbarger leading the pack at 6 points on 2-3 shooting and 5 rebounds. The Tigers were successful in defending the outside shot, and held ULL to 1-6 shooting from three point land.
Wolfenbarger maintained her strong post presence in the second quarter and dropped a layup in the basket to kick off the scoring for LSU’s second quarter. The Tigers managed an offensive stretch that featured a 4-4 shooting run that was capped off by a Gilbert-and-1 layup. LSU continued to feed Gilbert on the offensive end, which led to a mid-range bucket to put the Tigers up 31-16 at the media timeout. Wolfenbarger brought down her 10th rebound to earn her first double-double of the season. The Tigers outscored ULL 20-8 in the second quarter to gain a 36-19 advantage at halftime. In the half, LSU was led by Wolfenbarger, who scored 12 points and tacked on 11 rebounds. LSU’s dominant second quarter featured an 8-13 shooting performance to efficiently increase the lead.
Wolfenbarger converted a layup on a nice dish from Johnson to start LSU off in the second half. The Tigers made a habit out of turning defense into offense, as Last-Tear Poa stole the ball from ULL and converted a tough fastbreak layup to increase LSU’s lead to 17. The Tigers suffered a 3 minute scoring drought in the third quarter where ULL thrived offensively, shooting 5-6 over a 4 minute stretch. Gilbert got the Tigers back in a groove and pumped up the PMAC with an acrobatic and-1 layup to end the ULL run. The Ragin’ Cajuns stayed consistent with the three point shot in the third quarter and went 4-5 from three in the period. At the end of the third quarter, LSU led ULL 60-42 with a last second mid range from Johnson capping off the third quarter scoring on a spinning jump shot.
Morrow grabbed a tough rebound and converted the putback layup to start the fourth quarter for the Tigers. Just after scoring the first bucket of the quarter, Morrow scored yet another putback and converted a free throw to give the star forward her 10th double-double of the season. Wolfenbarger was able to drop a layup off the feed from Gilbert to break her previous career-highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Tigers maintained steady offensive and defensive pressure in the fourth quarter to hold a commanding lead over the Ragin’ Cajuns over the entirety of the period and end the game at 85-57.
