(Photo Credit: @lsuwbkb on X)
NASSAU, Bahamas – In its first ranked matchup of the season, No. 7 LSU (8-0) remained undefeated and took down No. 20 NC State (4-3), 82-65, to win the Baha Mar Pink Flamingo Championship.
“It’s hard to focus this time of year and I thought the two games we played here told us a little bit more about ourselves,” said Coach Kim Mulkey who earned her 99th victory as LSU’s head coach Wednesday; She will go for 100 on Sunday when LSU hosts NC State. “It helped us get better. We’re ready to be home and enjoy our day off for Thanksgiving tomorrow and then get ready for Sunday.”
After shooting a season-low 33-percent from the field in Monday’s win over Washington, LSU was hot in the championship game at 53-percent, including a 7-14 performance from beyond the arc.
“This game will humble you one minute and then it will be the highest of highs the next minute,” Coach Mulkey said. “It wasn’t any different – just one of those nights.”
Aneesah Morrow earned her sixth consecutive double-double of the season with a 20 point, 15 rebound outing, earning Pink Flamingo Championship MVP honors. Kailyn Gilbert, who made LSU’s game-winner Monday against Washington, had 12 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists Wednesday and earned All-Tournament honors.
“She (Morrow) plays with a motor,” Coach Mulkey said. “She never stops hustling. She never stops rebounding. She never stops just going hard.”
Mikaylah Williams bounced back after not scoring on Monday. Against NC State she had a game-high 24 points on 7-14 shooting (4-7 3FG).
Shayeann Day-Wilson tied a career-high with 9 assists on the day to match her career-high and set a season-high for the Tigers. Flau’jae Johnson added 16 points on 5-7 shooting to continue her impressive junior campaign.
Saniya Rivers led NC State in the contest with 21 points on 8-19 shooting and added 2 assists.
LSU was dominant on the board, outrebounding NC State by 20. The Tigers also won the game on the inside with a 28-18 edge on points in the paint.
The Tigers are back home on Sunday to face NC Central for the annual autograph game.
NC State jumped out with an early 9-4 lead over the Tigers in the first quarter. Turnovers continued to be an issue for LSU, as the Tigers turned the ball over 5 times in the first 7 minutes of the contest. LSU’s offense found its groove late in the first and the Tigers were able to take a 17-14 lead with notable buckets by Williams, Johnson and Morrow. The contest was knotted at 17-17 as both teams entered the media timeout. The Tigers found more offensive success in the first quarter, and went on a 6-2 run to hold a 5 point, 24-19 lead over the Wolfpack to end the first period of play. Johnson and Morrow both scored 6 points in the quarter, and Johnson was a perfect 3-3 from the field. LSU was extremely efficient from the floor, and shot a staggering 62.5 percent in the first 10 minutes of the game.
Williams grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on the putback shot to get to the foul line, where she converted both free throws to give LSU the first points of the second quarter. NC State made back-to-back three pointers to cut the Tiger lead to 3 points, but Morrow dropped a post layup to restore the two possession lead. The Tigers continued to build on the lead with points from Morrow and Kailyn Gilbert, and led by as much as 13 in the quarter. At the half, LSU led NC State 42-29. The Tigers were dominant on the glass in the first half, and out rebounded the Wolfpack 25-6, 18 of which came on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, Morrow and Williams paced the Tigers with 12 and 11 points, respectively. LSU was 17-30 from the field and went a perfect 6-6 from the foul line in the opening half. LSU’s bench also played a critical role in the first half, and contributed to 13 of the Tigers’ 42 points, whereas LSU was able to bottle up NC State’s bench and allowed 0 bench points in the first half.
Williams kept her foot on the gas and dropped a three pointer from the top of the key to give LSU their first points of the half. Morrow grabbed her 10th rebound of the contest for her 7th double-double of the season. LSU jumped out to a 14 point lead early in the third quarter and had an impressive sequence that included a Williams layup, a three pointer and steal. The run forced an NC State timeout, and LSU was in the driver’s seat midway through the third period. Gilbert provided a corner three to extend the Tiger lead to 13 and put her in double figures on the day. Johnson scored a buzzer beater at the end of the third on an acrobatic layup to give LSU a 61-49 lead with one quarter to play.
Both teams struggled to get offense going to start the fourth quarter, as the first points of the fourth were not scored until 8:21, when Johnson converted two free throws after a shooting foul. LSU remained stout on the defensive end, and forced NC State into multiple tough shots and turnovers throughout the quarter. LSU maintained a steady offensive attack in the fourth to close out the Pink Flamingo Championship, with clutch buckets from Johnson and Shayeann Day-Wilson late in the contest. The Tigers were stable on both ends of the floor in the dwindling minutes of the game to secure the lead and the victory, and got to the foul line often. The Tigers were able to dribble the ball out to reach the final, 82-64.
