Is it still called Déjà vu if it happens three times?
Now tell me if you’ve heard THIS story:
Mizzou builds a lead against a top-20 team, holding tough at the half. But things fall apart after a poor third quarter, as Mizzou (12-13, 1-9 SEC) can’t push back enough in the fourth.
This should sound familiar, as their 71-60 loss to No. 6 LSU (24-1, 9-1 SEC) marked the THIRD STRAIGHT TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.
“We keep talking about being able to put 40 minutes together, and I thought that maybe two and a half of the third, we had some tough possessions defensively, but we regrouped,” head coach Robin Pingeton said. “I think this is the same story game lately, right? We’re right there, so close.”
A 13-1 LSU run to break a tie after the third sealed Mizzou’s third consecutive loss. The Tigers have now lost to three ranked teams by a combined 25 points, an average of 8.3 points. For reference, the two losses before Mizzou’s win against Mississippi State were by a combined 43 points, an average of 21.5 points.
“But what a great showing by our kids. I think they’re playing really gritty. I think they’re bought in. They’re fighting and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”
For the third consecutive game, the Missouri Tigers started with a lead over a top-20 team. After one quarter the home team led 15-11. It was a complete defensive effort, as Mizzou forced four turnovers, holding LSU to 4-14 shooting from the field and 0-2 from three.
Offensively six players scored in the opening frame for the home team. Ashton Judd was the only player with more than two points (she had five).
LSU fought back, as we knew they would, taking a five-point lead into the half. The offense picked up for the road team with 20 points in the second quarter. Flau’jae Johnson finally found her rhythm with a pair of triples.
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Mizzou failed to match, limited to 12 points as they trailed 31-27. The black & gold Tigers shot 4-12 on field goals and 1-5 on three-point attempts. That solo triple came from Grace Slaughter, who scored five in the second quarter. Judd (8) and Slaughter (7) led Mizzou in scoring for the first half as the only Tigers above five points.
The third quarter started strong for Mizzou as an 11-7 run helped them tie the game at the media timeout. LSU rallied, though, closing the quarter on a 13-1 run, and Mizzou never held the lead again.
The Tigers had their moments in the fourth, cutting the game as close as six with 3:26 remaining. A miniature 5-0 run doomed those upset dreams, as the Bayou Bengals pulled away and back to double digits, 71-60.
The Missouri offense was split between Slaughter (18), Judd (17) and Laniah Randle (15), as the trio scored 71% of the Tigers’ points. Randle in particular had a big second half with 11 points.
This marked Slaughter’s seventh consecutive game in double-digits, averaging 18-plus points across that stretch.
“Well, she can take you off the dribble. She can shoot the three. She doesn’t really have to do many mid-range because she’s usually gets what she wants, either from the three or driving or from the foul line. But just an outstanding player to be so young,” LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said.
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LSU faced a similar story, with Johnson (19), Mikaylah Williams (16) and Aneesah Morrow (13) combining for 48 points. The real difference maker was Miracle Sheppard, who served as LSU’s primary option off the bench with 11 points and 7 rebounds.
“I thought our bench was very productive, and that’s been a challenge,” Mulkey said. “I’ve challenged them lately, that everyone knows about the three main [players], but I need more production from people who come in off the bench.”
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Mizzou lacked any such bench production, outscored 21-5 by LSU. They faced similar discrepancies in the areas of second chance points (20-3) and points off turnovers (21-9).
The Tigers finally catch a break and face a non-ranked team in Texas A&M (10-12, 3-7 SEC) on the road on Super Bowl Sunday at 3 p.m.
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