NCAAW: LSU needed game winner to defeat Tennessee, stay unbeaten

A strategic game-winning drive and score by Kailyn Gilbert enabled No. 6 LSU to narrowly defeat No. 16 Tennessee, 89-87, and maintain their undefeated record. It was a thrilling conclusion to a captivating and unpredictable game in Knoxville.

LSU dominated the first half of the game. Despite both teams struggling with rebounds in the first two quarters, LSU leaned on the unstoppable Aneesah Morrow, the nation’s leader in double-doubles. She had 19 points and 10 rebounds by halftime. With Morrow’s performance and forced turnovers, LSU held a 46-39 lead at halftime.

Both teams returned for a tense third quarter. The Lady Vols prevented the Tigers from extending their lead for much of the period, which ended in favor of the Tigers at 67-62. In the fourth quarter, Tennessee continued to wear down their opponents. Samara Spencer made a crucial 3-pointer early on, and Jillian Hollingshead made key free throws to bring the score to 67-64. However, LSU quickly responded with Mikaylah Williams scoring a shot and two free throws on consecutive possessions.

Kaniya Boyd of Tennessee ignited the crowd with a 3-pointer at the seven-minute mark, bringing the home team within one point at 72-71. A scoring spree by Talaysia Cooper then pushed Tennessee towards victory. She tied the game at 76-76 with five and a half minutes remaining before taking the lead with a free throw at 77-76. Cooper followed up with another two points, but LSU quickly matched them. She then made a 3-pointer to give Tennessee an 82-80 lead.

LSU briefly showed signs of fatigue with three minutes left, but quickly recovered. The teams exchanged shots, tying the game at 84-84 with two minutes remaining. Flau’jae Johnson’s free throw gave the Tigers a one-point lead. With one minute left, the score remained 85-84 until Williams scored two points with 49 seconds remaining, putting the Tigers ahead by three. A 3-pointer by Spear tied the game at 87-87 with just over 30 seconds left.

At that moment, Gilbert made a decisive drive that secured the 89-87 victory for LSU. With only 0.9 seconds remaining on the clock, Tennessee head coach Kim Caldwell called a timeout, but a shot by Zee Spearman fell short, preventing overtime.

The game was a showcase of shooting skills for fans. Spear and Cooper from Tennessee each scored over 20 points, with 25 and 24 points, respectively. LSU had three players scoring over 20 points as well, with Johnson scoring 20, Gilbert with 22, and Morrow leading her team with 23 points, reaching the 2,500-career point milestone during the game.

Despite Tennessee’s loss, former Lady Vols guard Alexis Hornbuckle, who attended the game, found many positive aspects in the team’s performance, stating:

The girls played with determination tonight. There was a lot of grit and toughness, and they played with intensity. We need to focus more when it matters most—we need a leader on the court, a strong defender in crucial moments for last-minute plays.

LSU will aim to stay undefeated when they face Vanderbilt on Monday, January 13 (7 p.m. ET, SEC Network), while Tennessee will play against Arkansas on Sunday, January 12 (1 p.m. ET, SEC Network).