On a thrilling Sunday, Baltimore's own Angel Reese, who is no stranger to the spotlight, dazzled the audience with her extraordinary performance, scoring 27 points and securing 19 rebounds. Not only that, Flau'jae Johnson contributed an impressive 16 points, helping the 13th ranked LSU team secure an 85-66 victory against Alabama.
The game was a rollercoaster of emotions as LSU stormed back from a 10-point deficit at halftime, scoring a remarkable 15 of the initial 16 points in the third quarter. This swing of momentum wiped out Alabama's 41-31 halftime lead, allowing LSU to soar ahead to a 46-42 lead with just 5 1/2 minutes left in the period. A significant chunk of these points was thanks to Reese's seven-point contribution, with Mikaylah Williams and Last-Tear Poa each chipping in four.
Alabama wasn't ready to back down, regaining the lead at 47-46 with a 3-pointer from Aaliyah Nye, her fourth of the game, and a couple of free throws from Jessica Timmons. However, their fight was short-lived as LSU went up 59-50 on a fastbreak layup from Johnson following a slick behind-the-back pass from Poa. The quarter ended with Reese scoring a buzzer-beating putback of her own miss, wrapping up the 30-point third quarter. LSU maintained their lead in the fourth quarter, outscoring Alabama 24-16.
Alabama seemed to struggle with their two-point shots in the second half, only making their first when Nye scored with just 2:23 remaining in the fourth quarter. Their stats for the second half showed 6 of 18 3-pointers and a disappointing 2 of 9 two-point attempts, resulting in them being outscored by LSU 54-25.
Reese's impact went beyond just scoring; she also added six assists to her tally, including a one-handed pass to Johnson for a 3-pointer. Williams scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Aneesah Morrow passed a career milestone of 2,000 points with her nine-point contribution. Poa finished with 11 points, six rebounds and four assists for LSU (21-4, 8-3 SEC).
In conclusion, with Reese leading the charge, LSU showed their dominance, turning a halftime deficit into an impressive victory. This game will undoubtedly be a significant milestone in Reese's career, and LSU's season.
