LSU at Auburn

Note: This meet was rescheduled from Jan. 29 due to COVID protocols.

Recap

The Big Storyline: LSU set a season high and the third-highest team total of the 2021 season in a loosely scored return to competition after a week away. But the bigger story was a drastic improvement by the Auburn Tigers, who had not broken 196 yet in 2021 but tightened up technically across four events to eclipse 197. The returns of Aria Brusch and Cassie Stevens to Auburn’s lineups helped, but the real key was shockingly improved technique across four events.

Implications: LSU’s season high allowed it to hold off Utah for the No. 2 spot in the national rankings. Auburn jumped up several spots to 19th and finally has a score it will be happy to use for NQS.

Records: LSU’s team total was the second-best in the country at the time of the meet on Friday night, but since then, Oklahoma has also done better.

Controversies: Kiya Johnson received a 9.700 for a badly under-rotated double-twisting Yurchenko in which many fans thought she put her knee down. Even if she didn’t fall, the combination of under-rotation, knee bend and a large step forward should have added up to a fall-like score. Olivia Hollingsworth received an out-of-bounds deduction on floor, but in slow-mo some felt it appeared that she didn’t actually put her heel down on the line.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 2 LSU at No. 22 Auburn

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: This will be the lone SEC meet of the week as all other teams are on a bye. LSU was unable to travel and compete against Auburn last week due to COVID-19 contact tracing. The team was allowed to continue training, so preparation should not be of large concern. Auburn is supposed to see Aria Brusch return to lineups after suffering a shoulder injury in week one. She is a key contributor on bars, beam and floor. In addition, the team hopes to return Cassie Stevens to lineups at some point this season; the reason for her absence remains unknown. LSU may be testing out depth options and continue to ease freshmen into more lineups as Kiya Johnson manages a tender Achilles and Christina Desiderio has struggled on floor in recent weeks.

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: Kamryn Ryan was in exhibition for LSU against Georgia and stuck her Yurchenko 1.5 cold. The sophomore scored higher than the majority of the lineup, and we expect to see her score be a part of the team total this week. Derrian Gobourne has been a highlight for Auburn, including her high-energy floor routine that was choreographed by her brother and a family friend.