How It Happened: LSU Women's Basketball Downs Mississippi State in 72-63 Victory

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Junior guard Mikaylah Williams paced the sixth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team with a season-high 26 points, lifting the Tigers to a 72-63 victory over Mississippi State Sunday afternoon at Humphrey Coliseum in the regular-season finale.

With the victory, LSU secured its fourth consecutive win to conclude the regular season, improving to 26-4 overall and 12-4 in the Southeastern Conference. With the loss, MSU dropped to 18-12 on the year and 5-11 in league play.

LSU returns to action Friday at the 2026 SEC Tournament as it secured the No. 4 seed and the double bye in this year’s conference tournament. The Tigers will take on the No. 5 (Oklahoma), 12 (Florida) or 13 seed (Mississippi State) in the second game of the day at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena around 1:30 p.m. CT.

The matchup, which will be determined over the previous two days’ results, will be televised on ESPN. The contest can be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network with Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams calling the action.

The SEC Tournament runs from March 4 through March 8 with the conference champion being crowned on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT.

Williams, who finished with her third straight double-double, had 15 rebounds, four assists and one steal in addition to tying her season high in points. Williams is the first Tiger to have three straight double-doubles since Aneesah Morrow recorded three straight from March 22-28 in the 2025 postseason.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Women's Basketball.

Williams’ double-double marked her third of the season and the fourth of her career at LSU. She went 10-of-17 from the field, 2-of-3 from behind the arc and 4-of-5 at the charity stripe.

Joining Williams in double figure scoring was junior MiLaysia Fulwiley (16) and sophomore Jada Richard (12).

Early on in the first quarter, Mississippi State jumped out to a 12-3 lead. Through the first seven minutes, LSU’s only points came from a three-pointer by Williams. The Tigers began the game 1-of-9 from the field, while the Bulldogs hit 5-of-10 including one three ball.

In the final minutes of the quarter, LSU responded with an 8-2 scoring run to put the Tigers within two going into the second quarter.

Williams led LSU with eight points in the first period.

The Tigers responded emphatically at the start of the second quarter, forcing MSU to take a timeout with 7:41 left in the half. LSU began the quarter on a 6-0 run to give the Tigers an 18-14 advantage.

LSU did not let up coming out of the timeout as it outscored the Bulldogs, 13-4, over the next four minutes, making MSU call another timeout. LSU led 31-18 with 3:05 remaining and would take a 35-22 lead into the half.

Williams and Fulwiley paced the Tigers’ scoring attack in the first with 12 and 10, respectively. Williams had eight rebounds and one steal, while Fulwiley tallied one rebound, three assists, one block and two steals.

MSU began the third quarter on a 10-3 scoring run cutting its deficit to six with 5:53 left in the period. The Bulldogs added on that run with seven consecutive free throws to take a 39-38 lead. After MSU took the lead, the Tigers answered by outscoring the home team, 16-6, down the stretch of the quarter. LSU was ahead at the third quarter break, 54-47.

LSU got the fourth quarter going with four straight points causing MSU to take its third timeout of the afternoon. The Tigers led 58-47 with 8:58 left in the contest.

The Bulldogs attempted to get back in the game with LSU throughout the remainder of the quarter but were unable to make headway in the Tigers’ nine-point victory.

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