Though this game was relegated to streaming only, Kentucky and LSU waged a war all night long in Baton Rouge. No. 11 Kentucky would not back down, even though they were down 17-5 they kept fighting back, a running theme all night long.
The Cats closed the first quarter with a 17-5 run, trailing only by one heading into the second, 23-22. And the 2nd quarter was as back and forth as the first. The Cats saw Clara Strack pick up her third foul, but it was an all around effort as the teams would head to the locker room tied up 41-41.
No. 5 LSU kept trying to deliver a knockout, Kentucky kept answering the bell
In the second half LSU kept trying to push the lead, multiple times the Cats would never back down. and kept fighting. LSU found themselves down 50-49 midway through the 3rd and went on a 10-0 run, but again Kentucky kept answering even though LSU would take a 5 point lead heading into the fourth.
Strack become a passenger for most of the 3rd with those 3 fouls, and it was something LSU kept exploiting. Asia Boone was a shooting star for the Cats, draining 5 3's and 17 points.
Tonie Morgan and Teonni Key would both finish with double-doubles, leading Kentucky in scoring and rebounding. Morgan would finish with 24 points and 12 assists, while Key ended up with 17 points and 16 rebounds.
A painful point for Kentucky will be the free throw line, the Cats were just 12-22 from the line, something that absolutely can not happen if you want to upset a top-5 team on the road in conference play. And yet the Cats were in it all night long.
With just over 4 minutes to go, the Cats had the ball down 75-69, the possession was terrible and it ended up in a shot clock violation as Teonni Key threw up a prayer from deep that didn't hit the rim.
But again the Cats kept on battling back. With 2:10 left in the game, Tonie Morgan went to the line a place she struggled all night and tied the game up at 75. The Tigers shot 49% from the field, and the Cats were dominant on the glass outrebounding the Tigers 45-29. Ameila Hasset struggled mightily going scoreless in 15 minutes, shooting 0-4, but she played great defense.
Strack was just 6-13 from the field, but hit a massive turnaround to put the Cats ahead with 1:16 left. She would finish with 13 points and 9 rebounds.
Stunningly Kentucky who averages over 8 blocks a game, had zero tonight against LSU. But that didn't matter as the Cats were up 2 with under 30 seconds to go. The Tigers would clear a rebound and Clara Strack with a diasterous foul on LSU's Mikaylah Williams on a 3-point attempt. It gave LSU a chance to take the lead, one they would make good on as she nailed all 3 putting the Tigers back on top 78-77. Williams would finish with a game-high 26 points.
The Cats had one last chance, Kenny Brooks took a time out and drew up a play for Strack but it didn't work. It did not matter as Tonie Morgan nailed a 3-point shot with just .5 to go, which left LSU one shot to tie or win. She was 8-24 from deep all season, and was 3-3 on the night. She is a star.
Kim Mulkey called a time out to advance the ball up the court, and Kenny Brooks did the same after LSU lined up.
It was tipped on the inbounds and the Cats walk away with an absolutely massive win, their first in Baton Rouge since 2019.