LSU's Defense Smothers Auburn in 77-44 Road Victory
AUBURN, Ala. – The No. 5 LSU women's basketball team put together a dominant defensive performance on Sunday, stifling the Auburn Tigers in a 77-44 victory at Neville Arena. Rebounding from a midweek loss, LSU suffocated Auburn's offense from the opening tip, holding them to just six points in the first quarter and building an insurmountable 36-13 lead by halftime.
LSU's defense was the story of the game, holding Auburn to a mere 25% shooting from the field. The home Tigers failed to connect on all 14 of their three-point attempts in the first half. The size and strength of LSU were also a significant factor, as they won the rebounding battle by a commanding 54-30 margin and controlled the interior with a 34-24 advantage in points in the paint.
Four LSU players scored in double figures, led by freshman forward ZaKiyah Johnson's 16 points and eight rebounds. Amiya Joyner contributed a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. For Auburn, Harissoum Coulibaly led the effort with 13 points and four assists in the loss. The win moves LSU to 22-3 on the season and 8-3 in SEC play, while Auburn falls to 13-12.
QUICK HITS
- No. 1 Oklahoma Gymnastics Tops No. 10 Arkansas: In a battle of current and future SEC powers, the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners secured a 198.175-197.700 victory over No. 10 Arkansas at the Metroplex Challenge. The highlight of the meet was a perfect 10 performance from Oklahoma's Mackenzie Estep.
- No. 3 Sooners Softball Rallies for Series Win: The Oklahoma softball team, ranked No. 3 in the nation, overcame a 4-1 deficit to defeat No. 17 Arizona 5-4. Back-to-back solo home runs in the seventh inning from Kendall Wells and Gabbie Garcia sealed the comeback victory and the series win for the Sooners.
- No. 2 Aggies Tennis Advances: The No. 2 Texas A&M women's tennis team is headed to the semifinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. The Aggies will face No. 10 Ohio State on Monday evening in Evanston, Illinois.
- SEC Golfers Tee Off Spring Season: The Mississippi State and Georgia men's golf teams opened their spring schedules this weekend. The Bulldogs sent four golfers to the Thomas Sharkey Individual Collegiate, with three achieving career-best finishes. The Georgia Bulldogs are also competing, beginning their slate at the Puerto Rico Classic.
PORTAL WATCH
Vanderbilt has secured a commitment from safety Steven Sannieniola. While his most recent school is not immediately available in transfer filings, Sannieniola was previously part of Vanderbilt's program before a brief stint at Troy. The Gaithersburg, Maryland native was a 3-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class.
RECRUITING BUZZ
There was no new recruiting commitment news across the Southeastern Conference in the last 12 hours.
GAMES TO WATCH
A full slate of SEC men's and women's basketball games is on the horizon. Key upcoming matchups include: