For the second time this season, LSU came from behind to remain unblemished on the 2024-25 season.
Monday’s game against Washington required late-game magic that came in the form of a Kailyn Gilbert layup with six seconds left in regulation. The Tigers escaped with a 68-67 win in its first game of the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship.
According to head coach Kim Mulkey, the team is “very lucky to have won the game” and needed to create its own luck to survive.
Washington’s “outstanding” 2-3 zone defense gave LSU all it could handle and forced the perimeter play out of sync as it shot under 30% from the floor in the first two quarters.
Gilbert’s game-winner off of a dribble penetration illustrated the opportunities Mulkey needed her team to create all game.
“You settle and think you’re going to make a shot eventually when at the end of the day, you’ve got to get up in the paint and make stuff happen,” Mulkey said. “We did it out of desperation in the last part of the game.”
Washington’s defensive efforts also included a double-team on leading rebounder Aneesah Morrow, resulting in a breakthrough performance by fellow forward Sa’Myah Smith. Both post players finished with double-doubles.
Eleven of Smith’s 15 rebounds came on offense. Mulkey praised the redshirt sophomore for her high conversation rate on those boards and getting to the weak side when Morrow was doubled.
“I thought she battled in there and she made her free throws,” Mulkey said of Smith. “Against a zone, it’s hard to get those offensive boards.”