Flau'jae Johnson ignites LSU women's basketball in win over Missouri
BATON ROUGE — Everything Missouri needed to go right to make it a game with No. 7 LSU women's basketball happened in the first half inside Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Thursday night.
Shots were falling and Mizzou took advantage of LSU's mishaps, leading to a seven-point gap at halftime.
But behind inspired play from sophomore sensation Flau'jae Johnson, and tightened up defense in the second half, LSU outscored Mizzou, 31 to 17 in the third quarter en route to running away with the game, 92-72.
Johnson put up 24 points, a season-high for her, along with five rebounds, three assists and one block.
Kim Mulkey utilizing short bench for LSU women's basketball
Due to some attrition this season, Kim Mulkey has a shorter bench than she'd like by this time. Normally, she keeps her rotation around eight or nine players. But with Sa'Myah Smith out, and Kateri Poole no longer with the team, depth remains an interesting aspect of this Tiger team.
Last-Tear Poa spelled Hailey Van Lith and MiKaylah Williams but Angel Reese, Aneesah Morrow and Johnson played nearly the entire game. And those three did the most damage for the Tigers, scoring a combined 70 points.
Morrow paced LSU with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Reese had her own double-double with 21 points, 12 boards.
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Missouri, Hayley Frank keep things close early with 3-ball
The outside shot was going to have to be there for Mizzou in order for it stay within striking distance.
Fortunately for the visiting Tigers, the 3-ball was falling early and often. Hayley Frank was the main culprit, who knocked down three 3's in the first half including one early in the second quarter to regain the lead for Mizzou.
Missouri started hot then cooled down, going 9-of-30 from behind the arc.
LSU solves Missouri's zone defense
A healthy portion of Johnson's 24 points came off how LSU solved how to beat Mizzou's 2-3 zone defense.
For much of the game, Johnson started LSU's offensive set in either of the corners and would wait until Missouri would overcompensate for Reese and Morrow in the paint, to start her cut to the basket. Van Lith did a great job of connecting with her for easy buckets.
Mulkey's team ended with 52 points in the paint.
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU women's basketball downs Missouri to win SEC opener
