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02/08 15:24 CST No. 5 LSU bounces back from a midweek loss at Texas and routs Auburn 77-44 No. 5 LSU bounces back from a midweek loss at Texas and routs Auburn 77-44 By MARSHALL DOWNING Associated Press AUBURN, Ala. (AP) --- ZaKiyah Johnson scored 16 points, Mikaylah Williams added 12 and No. 5 LSU bounced back from a midweek loss to rout Auburn 77-44 on Sunday. LSU's defense proved to be the key, holding Auburn to 25% shooting from the field and 14.3% from 3-point range. Flau'jae Johnson, LSU's leading scorer, finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Amiya Joyner notched a double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds. LSU (22-3, 8-3 Southeastern Conference) jumped out to an early lead after holding Auburn (13-12, 2-9) to just six points in the first quarter and took a 36-13 lead into the half. Auburn made 5 of 30 shots from the field and missed all 14 from behind the arc in the first half. LSU built its advantage with a 10-0 run that lasted nearly eight minutes during the first half, then closed out the half with an 8-0 spurt. Once again, size proved to be an issue for Auburn. The Tigers were outrebounded 54-30, and LSU held a 34-24 advantage in points in the paint. LSU was able to bounce back from a Thursday night loss to No. 4 Texas, a game in which the Tigers committed 19 turnovers. On Sunday, LSU struggled with turnovers again, finishing with 19 giveaways --- more than its season average of 14.8. LSU held a 28-13 advantage in bench points and assisted on 17 of its scores compared to Auburn's eight assists. Harissoum Coulibaly, the Tigers' leading scorer, finished with 13 points and four assists for Auburn, which now finds itself on a six-game skid. Sania Richardson had six points on 2 of 11 shooting, and Kaitlyn Duhon added nine points.

Up next LSU hosts No. 3 South Carolina on Saturday. Auburn plays at Texas A&M next Sunday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP women's college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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