CHICAGO (AP) — Aneesah Morrow, playing in her hometown, put up an impressive performance with 19 points and 13 rebounds to help lead No. 5 LSU to a 91-73 victory over Illinois Chicago on Thursday night. Flau’Jae Johnson contributed 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Mikaylah Williams added 17 points and seven assists. The LSU Tigers, with a perfect 14-0 record, extended their winning streak by pulling away from the UIC Flames (2-6) in the third quarter, going on a 12-0 run to break open what had been a close game.
Morrow had a memorable day, as her jersey number 24 was retired at Simeon Career Academy, the same school where NBA star Derrick Rose made a name for himself. Standing at 6-foot-1, Morrow initially made a name for herself at DePaul University before transferring to LSU last season in pursuit of national championships. As the nation’s leading rebounder, Morrow received a warm welcome from the crowd of 4,322, which included over 40 of her family members – the largest attendance ever for a women’s basketball game at UIC. Despite a slow start, Morrow finished strong, shooting 8 of 16 from the field.
On the UIC side, Arin Freeman led with 19 points, and Makiyah Williams contributed 15 points in a losing effort.
In terms of takeaways from the game, LSU showcased why they are considered one of the top teams in the nation, despite facing a tough challenge from UIC for much of the contest. The Flames, on the other hand, can take some positives from hanging tough with the highly ranked Tigers.
A pivotal moment in the game came when Last-Tear Poa converted a three-point play to kickstart LSU’s decisive 12-0 run in the third quarter. Johnson played a significant role in that run, scoring six points including a crucial tip-in that extended their lead to 53-33 with just under six minutes remaining in the quarter.
A key statistic that stood out was LSU’s dominance in points off turnovers, outscoring UIC 28-10, and their superiority on the boards, outrebounding the Flames 40-29.
Looking ahead, LSU is scheduled to host Albany on December 29 before beginning SEC play with a matchup against Arkansas four days later. Meanwhile, UIC will host Ohio in their upcoming game on Sunday.
For those interested in staying updated on women’s college basketball, be sure to sign up for poll alerts and follow the AP Top 25 rankings throughout the season.
