Reese rescues No. 3 LSU in 82-77 OT win over Georgia

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Angel Reese confirmed little curiosity in celebrating after extending her LSU-record double-double streak to assist the third-ranked Tigers keep their unblemished report.

She wasn’t all that happy with how she or her staff performed.

Reese had 23 factors and 14 rebounds to increase her streak of double-doubles to 22 video games, and No. 3 LSU narrowly remained unbeaten with an 82-77 victory over Georgia in extra time Thursday evening.

“Truthfully, it’s a wake-up name,” Reese mentioned. “We beat Tennessee (on Monday) after which we got here into Georgia considering they have been going to put down.

“They didn’t lay down,” Reese continued. “We’re positively the hunted and I believe they did an important job scouting us, they did an important job taking part in towards us.”

Alexis Morris highlighted her 15-point evening with a 3 from the proper nook within the remaining minute of the additional interval to present LSU (22-0, 10-0 SEC) a 77-74 lead, and the Tigers held on from there.

“Lex has hit just a few of these massive pictures this 12 months,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey mentioned. “It was massive.”

Morris was coming off a career-high 31 factors towards Tennessee, however didn’t rating within the first half towards Georgia. She hit one 3 within the third quarter and scored 12 of her factors within the fourth interval and extra time

“I used to be clutch once I wanted to be,” Morris mentioned. “In fact, it’s irritating as a result of everyone’s anticipating me to have one other 30-ball proper? However I confirmed up in a method I wanted to.”

Diamond Battles scored 22 factors for Georgia (15-9, 4-6), which had an opportunity to drag inside a degree when De’Mauri Flournoy was fouled behind the 3-point line with 8 seconds left. However Flournoy made only one free throw.

Morris rebounded Flournoy’s final miss after which hit two free throws for the ultimate margin.

Reese grabbed 11 of her rebounds on the offensive finish, serving to LSU rating 20 very important second-chance factors.

“We didn’t shoot effectively tonight, so I simply tried to get as many rebounds as I may get to get second-chance alternatives,” mentioned Reese, whose level whole may have been greater had she not missed six of her 15 free throws.

Sa’Myah Smith and LaDazhia Williams every scored 10 factors for LSU, which rallied from a nine-point deficit within the fourth quarter.

Brittney Smith scored 13 factors, Javyn Nicholson 12 and Alisha Lewis 11 for Georgia, which held the Tigers to their second-lowest regulation level whole this season.

The Girl Bulldogs “fought, they stayed collectively, they stayed targeted, they caught to the sport plan,” Georgia coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson mentioned. “Perhaps the one factor we didn’t do rather well is field out.”

Georgia led 59-50 after Battles transformed her steal of Flau’Jae Johnson’s move right into a fast-break layup with 7:53 left.

However the Tigers rapidly lower it to 59-55 on Reese’s basket inside and Morris’ 3.

Reese hit 4 straight free throws over a number of possessions to drag LSU again right into a tie at 63. After Battles’ free throws put Georgia again in entrance, Morris once more tied it with a fast-break layup.

Smith and LSU’s Kateri Poole every made one in all two free throws, and regulation ended tied at 66 after each groups failed to attain on their remaining possessions of the interval.

The Girl Bulldogs by no means trailed by greater than 4 factors till the ultimate seconds of extra time. LSU held a 30-29 lead at halftime, however Georgia led for the final 5:07 of the third quarter, going up 55-48 after Battles’ fast-break layup.

“We will’t get lax,” Reese mentioned. “Simply getting again within the fitness center and with the ability to get higher, I believe that’s going to be essential for us.”

BIG PICTURE

Georgia: The Girl Bulldogs appeared formidable defensively in current victories over Missouri (62-51) and Mississippi State (62-34) and maintained that type at LSU, holding the Tigers to 36% capturing (24 of 67). Nicholson scored at the very least 10 factors for the tenth time this season, and for the seventh time in a reserve function.

LSU: This marked simply the fourth time this season the Tigers have been held under 70 factors in regulation and the primary time they have been pushed to extra time. Georgia’s protection had loads to do with that, however LSU missed numerous open pictures. The Tigers’ 18 turnovers have been comparatively few towards a Georgia squad that has pressured 20 or extra opponent turnovers in 15 video games this season, however Georgia was environment friendly in scoring 21 factors off turnovers. LSU outscored Georgia on the foul line 28-15.

UP NEXT

Georgia: Visits Vanderbilt on Sunday afternoon.

LSU: Visits Texas A&M on Sunday afternoon.

___

AP girls’s school basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball