OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 26 points as No.7 LSU erased an 11-point deficit in the final eight minutes and beat No. 17 Mississippi 78-70 on Thursday night.
Fulwiley capped her performance with a clinching layup with 46 seconds remaining as LSU (23-4, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) outscored Ole Miss (21-7, 8-5) 24-5 in the decisive game-closing rally.
Flau’jae Johnson added 18 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Tigers, despite missing most of the first half with a lower-body injury. Johnson played extensively in the second half before fouling out with 58 seconds remaining.
Cotie McMahon led Ole Miss with 25 points, including 18 in the first half, as Ole Miss built a 43-37 halftime lead. Christeen Iwuala scored 13 and Latasha Lattimore 12, and finished with eight rebounds apiece.
Ole Miss led 65-54 on a pair of Lattimore free throws with 8:33 remaining before the LSU surge. Fulwiley converted a pair of free throws for a 71-69 lead with 3:41 left for a lead LSU never surrendered.
The LSU defense forced an 0-for-17 shooting performance by Ole Miss in the fourth quarter. Offensively, the Tigers converted 16 of 20 free throws (80%), including 7 of 8 in the final quarter to preserve the win. Fulwiley and Johnson combined to finish 9 for 12 from the line as the Tigers out-rebounded the Rebels 42-37, led by Amiya Joyner with nine.
The Ole Miss loss was its second in five days in a stretch of three games ranked in the AP Top 25. A home win over No. 22 Tennessee was sandwiched by a road loss at No. 16 Kentucky and a home setback to LSU.
Up next
LSU: Opens a two-game homestand with Missouri on Sunday.
Mississippi: Visits SEC leader and No. 3-ranked South Carolina on Sunday.
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