OXFORD, Miss. – A dominant fourth-quarter performance fueled by the stellar play of junior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley lifted the No. 7 LSU women’s basketball team to a 78-70 victory over the No. 17 Ole Miss Rebels on Thursday night at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion.
Fulwiley led all scorers with a career-high 26 points, adding seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and three steals. Senior Flau’jae Johnson contributed 18 points for the Tigers, who improved to 23-4 overall and 9-4 in Southeastern Conference play. Ole Miss fell to 21-7 on the season and 8-5 in league competition.
The Tigers’ victory was punctuated by a remarkable defensive stand in the fourth quarter, holding Ole Miss scoreless from the field for the entire period. According to CBB Analytics, the Rebels’ 0-for-17 shooting performance in the fourth quarter tied a Division I record for the most field goal attempts without a make in a single quarter over the last five seasons. LSU capitalized, outscoring Ole Miss 24-7 in the final frame.
LSU overcame a double-digit deficit, a feat they hadn’t accomplished since rallying from 12 points down against Kentucky on February 23, 2025. A decisive 19-1 run over the final 6:24 of the game sealed the win for the Tigers.
LSU initially established a lead in the first quarter, moving ahead 14-7 with 5:55 remaining. Johnson sparked the early offense, scoring nine points and shooting perfectly from the field, including a three-pointer and both free throw attempts. The Tigers concluded the first quarter with a 26-21 advantage, despite a late push from the Rebels.
Ole Miss responded in the second quarter, tying the game at 31 with 5:53 left in the half. The Rebels continued their momentum, outscoring LSU 10-5 during the quarter’s media timeout and ultimately taking a 43-37 lead into halftime.
The third quarter saw Ole Miss extend its lead with an 11-0 run, establishing a 13-point advantage with 5:28 remaining. LSU battled back, narrowing the gap to nine points by the end of the quarter, trailing 63-54.
Early in the fourth quarter, LSU began to chip away at the deficit, embarking on a 12-4 run to tie the game at 69 with three minutes left. Fulwiley then converted two free throws to give LSU the lead, and the Tigers maintained control for the remainder of the game.
LSU will return to action on Sunday, February 29, to face the Missouri Tigers at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on SEC Network, with Roy Philpott and Charli Turner-Thorne providing commentary. The contest can also be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network with Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams calling the action.
