Athens, Ga. — Flau’jae Johnson took control when it mattered most, powering No. 12 LSU to an 80–59 road victory over Georgia on Thursday night.
Johnson poured in 15 of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter as the Tigers pulled away late. MiLaysia Fulwiley added 18 points to help LSU snap a two-game skid to open Southeastern Conference play.
The Tigers (14–2, 1–2 SEC) entered the night searching for their first league win after narrow losses to then-No. 11 Kentucky and then-No. 12 Vanderbilt. After a competitive first three quarters, LSU delivered its most complete stretch of basketball to secure the bounce-back victory.
Georgia (15–2, 1–2 SEC), off to its best start since the 2009–10 season, struggled to keep pace offensively. Dani Carnegie led the Lady Bulldogs with 24 points, while Trinity Turner scored 11 and Rylie Theuerkauf added seven. The trio combined to shoot just 14-for-51 from the field.
LSU seized momentum early in the fourth quarter behind Johnson, who scored six straight points during a 10–1 run that extended the Tigers’ lead to 17 with just over seven minutes remaining. From there, LSU controlled the tempo and closed the game with authority.
Johnson also reached a personal milestone during the contest, becoming the ninth player in program history to surpass 1,800 career points with a third-quarter layup. She now sits at 1,816 points in her LSU career.
The Lady Bulldogs struggled shooting throughout the night, finishing at 35% from the floor. Georgia was particularly cold in the first half, connecting on just 1 of 14 attempts from beyond the arc and heading into halftime trailing 38–28.
LSU received balanced production beyond Johnson and Fulwiley. Amiyah Joyner recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while ZaKiyah Johnson chipped in 12 points.
With the win, LSU extended its dominance in the all-time series, improving to 29–27 against Georgia and claiming its eighth consecutive victory over the Lady Bulldogs.
Up Next:
LSU returns home to host No. 2 Texas on Sunday, while Georgia faces another top-tier challenge on the road against No. 3 South Carolina.
