LSU Survives and Advances With Thrilling 83-77 Win Over Jackson State
Kim Mulkey and her LSU Tigers survived a significant upset scare against a fierce Jackson State squad, coming out on top 83-77.
Playing above a 14-seed ranking, and coming back from being down by 17 in the second half to take a late lead, Jackson State gave LSU everything they had in the tank during their first-round matchup.
A balanced first quarter, with LSU leading at the horn 16-14, Jailin Cherry set the tone for the Bayou Bengals, totaling eight points in the first period. Getting to her spots and knocking down consistent midrange jumpers, Cherry elevated this team when Khayla Pointer couldn’t get into a rhythm.
Controlling the glass and getting second chance buckets kept Jackson State afloat throughout the first half. Led by star big, Ameshya Williams-Holiday, her offensive rebounding and sheer force in the paint came up big, but LSU’s Faustine Aifuwa gave her fits to close out the half.
The Tigers ended the half on top thanks to their exceptional guard play, headlined by Cherry, going into the break up 41-28. With Aifuwa notching a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds through the first two quarters, Jackson State couldn’t find an answer for Mulkey’s star big.
The final two periods were a completely different story for the Bayou Bengals. Blowing a 17-point lead and ultimately facing a 10-point deficit in the final frame, the Tigers were on the ropes for much of the fourth quarter.
A 19-3 run to close out the game, led by Pointer and Cherry getting timely buckets, LSU and Mulkey survived a significant scare from a hot Jackson State group.
“[I told my team] ‘We have to change the momentum here’ [in the fourth quarter]. We have to pick it up in the full court. Even if we had lost the game, the kids never stopped playing hard. We happened to get some steals and turn the momentum. There were big momentum swings.”
Miya Crump led the way for Jackson State with 21 points and 5 rebounds, and Ameshya Williams-Holliday added 15 points and 12 rebounds of her own. The two gave Mulkey and LSU fits all night and Williams-Holiday’s SEC experience while at Mississippi State gave her a boost against the size of LSU.
The backcourt duo of Khalya Pointer and Cherry reigned supreme down the stretch, combining for a whopping 50 points in the Bayou Bengals win. Cherry, who totaled 18 first half points, gave the Tigers a much-needed scoring threat when others couldn’t get it going from the jump.
For Pointer, a slow start halted any progress LSU could make in the first half, but coming in clutch down the stretch, the All-SEC guard proved why she is such a highly touted player and at the top of LSU’s scouting report.
With the game tied in the final two minutes, Pointer hit the biggest shot of the game, a deep three-ball to elevate this team to victory. Consistently wanting the ball in her hands when the game is on the line, it’s Pointers clutch gene that gave the Bayou Bengals a boost when needed.
“We just stayed confident throughout the game, through the highs and the lows,” Pointer said. “This team is relentless. We just weren’t ready to go home. We have a team full of seniors, so we asked ourselves, are we taking our jerseys off for one last time or are we preparing to play again on Monday? You just stay confident and we had a lot of time left. The game’s not over until the buzzer sounds, so we made a late run and we held on.”
Survive and advance. It’s the main message come March and a Mulkey’s group understands that after getting through a difficult first-round matchup. As the Tigers prepare for Monday’s second-round matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes, it’ll be another win or go home mentality for this seasoned squad.
