BOSSIER CITY, La. – No one else was going to score the first bucket of LSU women’s basketball matchup with Grambling State in Bossier City than Mikaylah Williams.
The former consensus No. 2 recruit in the country and Bossier native, who had her Parkway jersey retired during a pregame ceremony, drained the jumpshot off the screen for the game’s first points.
No. 5 LSU was on from there, outscoring GSU by 25 in the first half en route to a dominating, 100-54 victory inside Brookshire Grocery Arena Sunday afternoon.
Williams, playing in her first game in her hometown in more than two years, finished with 16 points, five assists and four rebounds.
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LSU women’s basketball PG Shayeann Day-Wilson didn’t play vs Grambling
As the team worked through pregame warmups on the court inside Brookshire’s Grocery Arena Sunday afternoon, LSU starting senior point guard Shayeann Day-Wilson stood behind the baseline, not going through stretches and drills.
Team officials told The Daily Advertiser that Day-Wilson “practiced some” Saturday, the day before the game, and was not officially ruled out of playing against Grambling. But she did not play, marking the first game she’s missed this season.
Last-Tear Poa started in her absence, her second start this season. Against GSU, LSU didn’t miss much of a beat as it continued to push. Kailyn Gilbert, when in the game, played a lot of point and done well. Poa and Gilbert ended the game with a combined four turnovers.
Aneesah Morrow flashes efficiency
LSU star junior forward Aneeash Morrow did not miss a field goal in the first half, going 5-for-5 to lead the Tigers with 15 points along with six rebounds in 20 minutes.
Her teammates did a great job of finding Morrow in scoring positions on the post where she finished through tough contact several times against Grambling.
GSU couldn’t handle Morrow and LSU fed her often as she finished the game with women’s college basketball leading 10th double-double of the season with 26 points and 15 boards. She shot 10-of-14 from the field.
LSU wears down Grambling with speed
Unquestionably, LSU touts the more talented roster compared to GSU but where LSU made its money was running the floor. And all players running made the mountain that much steeper for Grambling.
LSU bigs Morrow and Sa’Myah Smith, as well as Jersey Wolfenbarger when she entered the game all sped up the court on transition opportunities and LSU thrived.
The Tigers scored 30 fastbreak points, the third most they’ve had in a game this season, while Grambling did score 16 of its own.
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Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU women’s basketball suffocates Grambling in Bossier City
