LSU women’s basketball opened SEC play Thursday night in a battle that lived up to the conference’s reputation—fast, physical, and relentless until the final horn. In front of a packed Pete Maravich Assembly Center, the No. LSU Tigers fought toe-to-toe with the Kentucky Wildcats but fell in gut-wrenching fashion, 80–78, after a last-second basket sealed their first conference loss of the season.
The Tigers came out firing, setting the tone early with aggressive offense and sharp execution. LSU surged to a 15-point lead in the opening period, feeding off the energy of the home crowd and showcasing the confidence that had defined its unbeaten nonconference run. However, Kentucky—known for owning the SEC’s toughest defense, allowing just 50 points per game entering the matchup—steadied itself and began chipping away at the deficit.
As the Wildcats tightened their defensive pressure, LSU found scoring opportunities harder to come by. Kentucky’s physicality on the glass and disciplined rotations disrupted LSU’s rhythm, slowly flipping momentum. What began as a dominant LSU performance soon turned into a back-and-forth contest, with both teams trading leads and answering baskets.
Trips to the free-throw line became frequent for both sides as the intensity rose. The crowd roared with every whistle, rebound, and fast break, as nearly every seat inside the PMAC was filled. Kentucky’s aggressive rebounding proved pivotal, as the Wildcats repeatedly won second-chance opportunities, limiting LSU’s ability to extend possessions.
By halftime, neither team had been able to pull away. The Tigers and Wildcats entered the locker room tied, an unfamiliar position for LSU, which had spent the vast majority of its first 14 games playing from ahead. LSU trailed for only about five minutes in the entire first half—numbers that underscored just how evenly matched the contest had become.
Despite the physical play and constant foul trouble looming for multiple players, the game never slowed. Junior Mikaylah Williams delivered a standout performance under pressure, finishing with 26 points, eight defensive rebounds, and five assists. Her composure and scoring touch kept LSU steady during critical stretches when momentum threatened to swing.
The second half opened with even greater intensity. LSU managed to push past the scoring threshold that Kentucky had held opponents under all season, signaling that the Tigers were capable of breaking down even the SEC’s best defense. Still, the margin remained razor-thin, and every possession carried weight.
Kentucky struggled at the free-throw line, shooting just 16-for-36, a stat that kept LSU within striking distance throughout the game. The Tigers, by contrast, were far more consistent from the stripe. However, the pace of the game magnified every small mistake. Missed layups, rushed passes, and second-chance points surrendered on the defensive glass proved costly.
“They missed enough free throws to keep us in the game, and we just got to give them credit,” head coach Kim Mulkey said. “We’ve got to rebound, get in the film room, and get better.”
Transfer senior Amiya Joyner made her presence felt in the second half, providing crucial effort plays that don’t always show up in the box score. While she wasn’t the leading scorer, her timely rebounds, put-backs, and positioning helped LSU maintain a narrow lead deep into the fourth quarter.
With five minutes remaining, LSU clung to a six-point advantage, and the atmosphere inside the PMAC reached a fever pitch. Every basket was met with thunderous applause, and every defensive stand felt season-defining. Yet Kentucky refused to fold.
In the final 1:15, the Wildcats mounted a last-ditch comeback, converting key free throws and knocking down a critical shot to take a two-point lead. The sequence highlighted one of LSU’s biggest struggles of the night—defensive rebounding. Kentucky finished with 17 offensive rebounds, compared to just four by LSU, a disparity that loomed large in a two-point loss.
Williams calmly stepped to the line with less than a minute remaining and knocked down three free throws, giving LSU a one-point lead and igniting the crowd once more. But Kentucky had the final possession. With less than a second on the clock, Tonie Morgan delivered the decisive basket, silencing the arena and handing LSU a heartbreaking defeat.
“I mean, the best teacher is experience,” Williams said. “We have this game on our belt. We know what it takes to eventually come out on top, and we need to rebound and play defense.”
While losing an SEC opener at home is far from ideal, the Tigers will treat this game as a measuring stick rather than a setback. The loss exposed areas for growth, particularly on the boards, but it also demonstrated LSU’s ability to compete at the highest level under immense pressure.
As the Tigers continue their pursuit of a return trip to the national championship stage, lessons from this loss will be invaluable. LSU will look to respond quickly when it returns to the PMAC on Jan. 11, hosting the University of Texas Longhorns in another high-stakes conference matchup.
