Morrow records 12th Double-Double in Chicago Homecoming win

CHICAGO – Aneesah Morrow recorded her 12th double-double of the season in her homecoming game as No. 5 LSU (14-0) took down UIC (2-6), 91-73, Thursday in Credit 1 Union Arena before the Tigers’ holiday break.

Morrow’s 86th career double-double is the sixth most in Division I history, passing Chiney Ogwumike’s 85 double-doubles with Stanford. The Chicago native finished the contest with 19 points, 13 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists and 2 blocks. 

“I always tell my teammates that I want them to always know they can depend on me to show up every night,” Morrow said following her 12th double-double of the season. “That’s my mindset going into every game that my teammates are going to be able to depend on me to score, and if I’m ot scoring I need to do something else.

Earlier in the day Morrow visited her high school Simeon Career Academy where she became the school’s first women’s basketball player to have her jersey retired. She led the team to its first ever City and State Championships.

“It was a great experience,” Morrow said. “I teared up a little bit. It was a little bit of deja vu. Just being able to see how much of an impact I’ve made was amazing.

Flau’jae Johnson recorded her third double-double of the season with a 23 point, 11 rebound performance. Mikaylah Williams also had a strong performance with 17 points and 7 assists.

Sa’Myah Smith finished the night a perfect 4-4 from the field with 8 points.

Arin Freeman led UIC with 19 points on 7-11 shooting and 6 rebounds. 

LSU has one more non-conference game remaining when it returns from the break on December 29 in the PMAC against Albany. 

“We’re all getting ready to scatter (for the holiday),” Coach Kim Mulkey said as LSU heads into Christmas undefeated for the second time in four years under her leadership. “Focus is the word that I would use. You worry about your team’s focus the night before they leave.”

The start of the first quarter did not feature much offense for both LSU and UIC, but Morrow was able to find some room in the paint to take the lead at 4-3. After going down 7-4 midway through the first, Johnson and Williams sparked the LSU offense with three pointers and retook the lead at 12-10 entering the media timeout. The Tiger offense came out firing after the timeout, as LSU went on a 9-0 run late in the first quarter. Though LSU was only able to shoot 7-19 in the opening quarter, the Tigers played stifling defense and forced 7 UIC turnovers along with a 5 minute field goal drought. Johnson led the Tigers in scoring with 9 points on 3-4 shooting in the quarter. 

Morrow struck first in the second quarter with a mid range jumper. UIC brought the game back within 4 points after starting the quarter 3-3 from the field. The Tigers regained a commanding lead at 27-18 with a pair of Williams free throws and a Morrow three pointer. Both LSU and UIC shot the ball well in the second quarter and traded bucket after bucket to keep LSU’s lead at 9 points. At the end of the first half, LSU led UIC 40-31. The Tigers shot 15-36 from the field in the half and forced 12 turnovers on the defensive end. Johnson led LSU in scoring with 10 points, while Morrow led the game in rebounds with 8 in the first half. LSU ended the second quarter on a 4-5 field goal run that kept the game in control of the Tigers. 

Last-Tear Poa converted on an and-1 layup to start the second half for LSU. The Tigers started the second half on a 12-0 run to extend the lead to 53-33. The LSU defense did not allow a UIC field goal in the first 4 minutes of the half, and outrebounded the Flames 6-2 to force a timeout. Johnson was all over the court to start the second half, and the standout sophomore scored 6 points and grabbed 3 rebounds in the first 4 minutes of the quarter. Morrow brought down her 10th rebound of the quarter to earn her 12th double-double on the season. Morrow and the Tigers maintained a steady offensive attack to fend off UIC’s comeback efforts, as Morrow hit her second three pointer of the night to keep the game in LSU’s hands. At the end of the third quarter, the Tigers led the Flames 67-46. 

Kailyn Gilbert rattled a three pointer home to kick off the fourth quarter for LSU. Johnson grabbed her 10th rebound of the game early in the 4th quarter to earn her 3rd double-double of the season. Gilbert connected on another three in the corner to push LSU’s lead back to 20 points midway through the 4th. UIC hit multiple triples in the 4th, but the LSU offense was strong enough to respond with mid range jumpers and layups. The Tigers continued to score the basketball and keep UIC out of reach throughout the entire 4th quarter. With time expiring, Williams was able to dribble out the clock and reach the final score of 91-73.

*LSU press release