21 LSU Women’s Basketball team battled its way to its 10th victory of the season over Clemson, 70–56, Monday night at Keiser University in the West Palm Beach Invitational.
LSU jumped out to a quick lead, but went cold midway through the first quarter before going 4-18 in the second quarter, battling to go into halftime tied.
“We didn’t shoot it particularly well, but that happens,” Coach Mulkey said.
Clemson got on the board at the 5:20 mark with a three and ultimately closed the quarter on a 7-1 run with LSU holding a 15-12 lead.
After finishing the first quarter on a cold streak shooting the ball, LSU’s offensive woes continued, going through a stretch where it made just 1-16 field goals.
LSU scored the first bucket of the second half to take the lead after Jailin Cherry threw a behind the back pass to Aifuwa who laid it in on the fast break to reach double digits.
Clemson’s Eno Inyang was called for an intentional foul later in the third and Morris sunk both free-throws and then with LSU holding the possession, Payne hit another three from the right wing to give LSU a 46-34 advantage, its largest lead of the game at the 2:35 mark in the third.
Aifuwa, back in the game in foul trouble, grabbed a critical offensive rebound to give her a double-double and ultimately got the ball back on a dish from Pointer to give LSU a 55-46 lead with 7:29 remaining.
With 3:32 remaining, Pointer grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed Payne three and she got fouled on the put-back, converting the and-one to give LSU a 12-point lead with 3:30 left.