Women’s Basketball: LSU wins at No. 10 Texas A&M, 57-54

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The LSU women’s basketball team (12-3, 2-1) used a dominant defensive second half to earn a hard fought road win at No. 10 Texas A&M (14-2, 2-1), 57-54. This was LSU’s second win over a ranked opponent this season, and it pushes their record to 12-3 overall and 2-1 in the SEC. The loss drops Texas A&M to 14-2 overall and 2-1 in league play.

Junior Jailin Cherry led the way for the Tigers offensively with a season-high 12 points on 6-11 shooting from off the bench. She also tied her career high with six rebounds and three assists. Khayla Pointer dished out ten assists, which is a season-high for the junior point guard, and added seven points as well as four steals. Senior Jaelyn Richard-Harris also set a new season-high in points as she finished with an important nine points for the Tigers. Senior Ayana Mitchell led LSU in rebounds with 10 and scored nine points.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Jaelyn Richard-Harris got LSU on the board with a jumper right off the tip.
• After a 6-0 run by the Aggies, LSU Coach Nikki Fargas called a timeout with the Tigers trailing 6-2.
• After trailing for the first six minutes, the Tigers tied the game up at 12 off of a Jailin Cherry layup in transition.
• The Tigers kept things close, but trailed the Aggies 18-15 at the end of the first quarter.
• Both teams struggled to find a rhythm offensively in the second quarter as the Aggies led 27-19 at the media timeout. To that point, Texas A&M had outscored the Tigers 9-4 in the quarter.
• Ayana Mitchell scored her first basket of the game at the 2:42 mark in the second quarter – ending a four-minute scoreless stretch for the Tigers and cutting the Aggie lead to 27-21.
• Right before the second quarter ended, Khayla Pointer was fouled on a last second three-point attempt. She made two of the three free throws and the Tigers went to the break down 32-27.
• The Tigers were able to cut the Aggie lead to only two, 35-33 at the 5:51 mark in the third quarter behind tough shots from Mitchell and Pointer.
• The Tigers held Texas A&M scoreless from the field going into the third quarter media timeout with the score 39-37 Aggies.
• A three-pointer by Awa Trasi at the 3:02 mark in the third gave LSU for their first lead, 40-39, since it was 2-0 in the opening minute of the game.
• Right after LSU took the lead, A&M went on a 7-1 run to retake the lead, 46-41.
• At the buzzer, Trasi hit her second three of the game to cut the A&M lead to 46-45 going into the fourth quarter.
• After an Aggie bucket, Richard-Harris hit a three to tie the game at 48-48 with 8:32 remaining in the game.
• Both teams traded buckets for the next three minutes going into a media timeout, as the Aggies held a 52-50 lead with 5:01 remaining in the game.
• Cherry tied things up once again at 52-52 with a 10-foot jump shot from the corner.
• Faustine Aifuwa gave the Tigers the lead, 55-54, the 2:09 mark with a contested layup.
• With under 30 seconds left, Cherry stepped up on defense and drew a charge, giving the Tigers the ball back with a 55-54 lead.
• After Awa Trasi made to free throws with 25 seconds left in the game, a last-second three-point attempt by the Aggies did not fall, giving the Tigers the second SEC victory of the season, 57-54.
• It was LSU’s first road win against a Top 10 team since an 80-77 win against No. 5 Tennessee on January 2, 2014.
• LSU’s last SEC win at a Top 25 opponent was January 4, 2018 at No. 15 Missouri, 69-65.

UP NEXT
LSU will be back home inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center this Sunday, January 12, taking on the Ole Miss Rebels for the annual Gold Game. The game will begin at 2 p.m. CT and will be broadcasted on the SEC Network Plus.

Head Coach Nikki Fargas Post Game Quotes

On making the necessary adjustments offensively during the game…
“This game was all about runs. It’s about creating opportunities and the players making plays. Defensively we got some stops that we needed and we were able to move the ball around at our pace offensively. We were quick shooting at the beginning of the game so we had to change that up moving forward and we were disciplined and more in tuned to playing with our post game. We were intentional with trying to see them and work the ball around. The patience we had on offense was really good.”

On having to slow the offensive pace down…
“We had no choice. We were getting into this jump shooting match and the pace was not where I wanted it. It was in A&M’s favor so we had to try and balance it back out. I told the team to stop quick shooting the basketball and be patient. We didn’t want to come into a game on the road, knowing how good A&M is in transition, and give them a lot of possessions. When we decided box out and keep them off the offensive glass, it allowed us to get some transition baskets ourselves. This group did what we asked of them and were coachable. That’s why we prevailed.”
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