Unbeaten and third-ranked LSU tries to avoid a letdown at home against Georgia

LSU freshman Flau'jae Johnson (4) with a blocked shot against Tennessee's Tess Darby (21) in Monday's 76-68 win in the PMAC. The Tigers return to face Georgia at home at 7 p.m. Thursday. PHOTO BY: Jonathan Mailhes

No. 3 LSU looks to follow up on Monday’s dramatic home win Tennessee with a return to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center for a matchup with Georgia at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Tigers (21-0, 9-0) are locked in a first-place tie atop the league with No. 1 South Carolina followed by Tennessee.

The game will be streamed on the SEC Network+ and will be broadcast locally by 107.3-FM.

“It’s been an unbelievable year, but what have we done,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey, who is 47-6 in her second season. “We’ve won games and that’s it. We’ve won enough games to get everyone’s attention. We know who we are. We don’t pretend to be anyone we’re not.”

Fifth-year senior guard Alexis Morris is coming off a career-high 31 points and six rebounds, five steals and three assists in the win over Tennessee. Sophomore transfer Angel Reese improved her school record double-doubles total to 21 games with 18 points and 17 rebounds versus the Lady Vols.

Georgia, under first year coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, is regarded as a team that likes to apply full-court pressure which was something that bothered LSU in the game with Tennessee.

Abrahamson-Henderson, in her 19th season as a head coach, previously coached at Central Florida for six seasons where her teams were also known for a 2-2-1 press.

“Her system is what her system is,” Mulkey said. “She’s going to 2-2-1 press you – it looks like an I-formation 2-2-1 – the entire game. She’s going to play a matchup zone the entire game. We have not seen that. You saw what Tennessee’s press did to use so we’re going to get in the gym and we’re going to work.”

Georgia

No. 3 LSU (21-0, 9-0 SEC) will look to continue its best start in program history Thursday at 7 p.m. CT when the Tigers welcome Georgia (15-8, 4-5 SEC) to the PMAC.

“It’s been an unbelievable year, but what have we done,” Coach Kim Mulkey said. “We’ve won games and that’s it. We’ve won enough games to get everyone’s attention. We know who we are. We don’t pretend to be anyone we’re not.”

Thursday’s game can be streamed on the SEC Network + with Lyn Rollins and Victor Howell. Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams will call the game on the LSU Sports Radio Network, 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge.

LSU is coming off a 76-68 win over Tennessee Monday in front of a record crowd inside the PMAC. Alexis Morris scored a career-high 31 points and had 6 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 assists. Angel Reese finished with her 21st consecutive double-doubles. After she went into the half with just 4 points and rebounds, she finished the game with 18 points and 17 rebounds.

The Tigers will face a Georgia team who will apply a 2-2-1 press for most of the game, dropping back into a matchup zone. Georgia is led by Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, who played at Georgia, in her first year leading the Bulldogs. In her 19th season as a head coach, she previously was at UCF for six seasons where her teams were also known for the 2-2-1 press.

“Her system is what her system is,” Coach Mulkey said. “She’s going to 2-2-1 press you – it looks like an I-formation 2-2-1 – the entire game. She’s going to play a matchup zone the entire game. We have not seen that. You saw what Tennessee’s press did to use so we’re going to get in the gym and we’re going to work.”

Georgia forces 20.6 turnovers per game and leads the SEC with a +4.5 turnover margin.

The Bulldogs are led by the 13.9 points of Diamond Battles and 11.9 points of Brittney Smith.

LSU resumes play at Texas A&M on Sunday at 1 p.m.

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Tiger Rag News Services

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