BATON ROUGE – The LSU women’s basketball team fell to nationally ranked South Carolina on Sunday, 76-53.
With the loss, LSU falls to 11-5 overall and 2-2 in conference play. South Carolina improves to 12-4 overall and 4-0 in the league.
Three Lady Tigers scored in double digits with Khayla Pointer leading the way. Pointer had 15 points with six rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Ayana Mitchell recorded her 19th career double-double and eighth of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Mercedes Brooks put up 10 points off the bench for the Lady Tigers.
Center Yasmine Bidikuindila also came off the bench and scored a career-high eight points.
“You’ve got to be ready to beat South Carolina before you even throw the ball up,” said LSU head coach Nikkie Fargas.
The Lady Tigers dug themselves a hole in the first quarter trailing 29-11. South Carolina was able to find a rhythm early and keep LSU mismatched in transition.
“They did a great job of running the basketball back at us,” Fargas said.
The Gamecocks started the game on a 9-0 run before LSU could settle in and Mitchell knocked down a jumper to put LSU on the board.
The remaining three quarters were more evenly matched as South Carolina only outscored LSU by five points combined in the second and third quarters.
South Carolina attempted 19 three-pointers which Fargas said hurt the Lady Tigers from the beginning of the game not being able to guard the perimeter.
“We gave up way too many wide-open looks,” Fargas said. “I think that really hurt us.”
“There were too many wide-open threes. That, to me, was the decider in allowing them to really push the lead ahead in the first quarter.”
Despite giving up 76 points, the Lady Tigers forced 14 turnovers on the Gamecocks.
Next up, LSU will host nationally-ranked Kentucky on Thursday, Jan. 17 in the annual We Back Pat game in honor of legendary coach Pat Summitt. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. in the PMAC.
Article courtesy of LSU Sports Information Department.