LSU's Sa'Myah Smith and Oklahoma's Liz Scott ejected after altercation

Updated Jan. 30, 2025 10:36 p.m. ET

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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU forward Sa’Myah Smith and Oklahoma forward Liz Scott were both ejected after some shoving midway through the first quarter of the seventh-ranked Tigers' 107-100 win over the 13th-ranked Sooners on Thursday night.

Oklahoma center Beatrice Culliton was battling for position in the paint with Smith when the two got tangled up. Culliton elevated her arm to create some separation and Smith retaliated by pushing her to the ground. Scott, who was also in the paint area, responded by shoving Smith.

Smith was corralled by Joe Schwartz, LSU’s assistant of basketball operations. The teams separated and went back to their bench areas.

The normally even-keeled Smith was called for a foul on the play and then ejected following a review.

“Pushing, I guess, is considered fighting,” said LSU coach Kim Mulkey, who received a technical later in the game, as did Oklahoma coach Jennie Baranczyk. “It (Smith’s reaction) was shocking. It hurt our team with her not being a part of tonight, because we’re trying to develop her. My old mentor (former Louisiana Tech coach) Leon Barmore always said you’ve got to keep a cool head in a hot game.”

Play resumed after the ejections with Oklahoma leading 12-11. The Sooners took advantage of the 6-foot-2 Smith's advantage to keep it close, rallying from a 24-point deficit late in the third quarter to get within one point in the final minute.

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