In a typical top 25 SEC matchup, No. 8 LSU clinched the number 2 seed in next week’s SEC Tournament with a narrow victory 57-54 over No. 16 Tennessee in the final game of the regular season.

Someone needed to step up in the absence of Alexis Morris who did not play after suffering a sprained MCL during Thursday’s game. Autumn Newby did just that with 10 first quarter points and was a menace in the paint grabbing nine rebounds and drawing multiple offensive fouls against the Lady Vols.

The Tigers fended off a ferocious Lady Vols team from stealing the contest at the death. With 5 seconds remaining, Hannah Gusters forced a miss from Tennessee’s Tamari Key which Khayla Pointer rebounded. After making a free throw to put LSU up 3, Pointer stole the inbound pass to clinch the contest for the Tigers.

LSU will head home to Baton Rouge to recuperate before heading to Nashville, Tennessee for the SEC Tournament. The team is slated to play on Friday, March 4th at 6 p.m. CT in the Bridgestone Arena against an opponent to be determined. The game will be televised on SEC Network.