BATON ROUGE, La. (Interstat) — A dominant third-quarter surge propelled the LSU women’s basketball team to a decisive 92-70 victory over Arkansas on Thursday night at a packed Maravich Assembly Center.

The game, a Southeastern Conference matchup witnessed by 9,741 fans, was competitive for a half before the Tigers unleashed a game-breaking run to pull away for good.

Arkansas, led by a game-high 23 points from Taleyah Jones, came out firing and matched LSU shot for shot in a high-paced first quarter that ended tied at 22. The Razorbacks’ perimeter shooting kept them afloat early, as they connected on 5 of 11 three-point attempts in the opening period. The second quarter saw both defenses tighten, with LSU taking a narrow 36-33 lead into halftime.

The complexion of the contest changed entirely after the break. LSU opened the third quarter on a blistering 16-2 run, overwhelming the Razorbacks at both ends of the floor. The Tigers’ defense, anchored by 6-foot-5 center Kate Koval’s five blocks, stifled Arkansas into rushed shots and turnovers. Offensively, LSU attacked the paint relentlessly, scoring 21 of their 33 third-quarter points inside.

Flau’jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams each scored 17 points to lead a balanced LSU attack, with Johnson contributing two blocks and two steals. Jada Richard orchestrated the offense with nine assists to go with 12 points. Koval finished with 12 points, five blocks and seven rebounds in just 21 minutes, her presence fundamentally altering Arkansas’s offensive schemes.

The Tigers’ depth and interior dominance were the defining themes. LSU outscored Arkansas 50-20 in the paint and outrebounded them 18-8 on the offensive glass, leading to 21 second-chance points. The Tigers also blocked 10 shots compared to Arkansas’s three and converted 21 points off 17 Razorback turnovers.

Despite the loss, Arkansas showed fight. Jones, a guard from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, played 38 minutes and added three assists. Jenna Lawrence came off the bench to score 12 points, all from three-point range, and Maria Anais Rodriguez added 11 points. Emily Robinson managed the game with eight assists for the Razorbacks.

LSU’s offensive efficiency proved superior, as they scored 92 points on 89 possessions for an offensive rating of 103.8. Arkansas managed 70 points on 83 possessions, an offensive rating of 84.1. The Tigers shot 45.9% from the field while holding Arkansas to 37.7%.

With the win, LSU improved to 19-2 overall and continued its strong run in conference play. Arkansas fell to 11-11, still seeking a signature SEC victory amid a challenging schedule.

LSU next hosts Alabama on Sunday. Arkansas returns home to face Kentucky on Sunday.