By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag
Kim Mulkey’s LSU women’s basketball team (1-0) is back in action on Thursday night as the Tigers host Texas Southern (0-1) of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at 7 p.m. (SEC Network+). The Tigers are coming off their largest victory in program history in the season opener on Monday, a 129-35 thrashing of Southeastern Louisiana, and they will look to replicate that dominance in game two at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
On Monday, LSU was led by a career 33-point night from guard ZaKiyah Johnson while five other Tigers also reached double figures. The Tigers were 48-of-86 from the field, 23-of-31 from the free throw line and 10-of-20 from deep. Their 10 made three-pointers were just three shy of last year’s season high set in the Southeastern Conference tournament against Oklahoma.
Mulkey’s offenses are traditionally run through the post. Going back to her time at Baylor, her Bears were known for an ‘old-school’ style of basketball, but that does not mean she has any aversion to the three-ball. After the game on Monday, she explained how perimeter recruits are often told that she is too “post-oriented.”
“I believe you better have you a good post, but I remind all those recruits, do you know who holds the record for the most threes shot in a game? Her name is Juicy Landram, and she played for me at Baylor when I had those great post players,” Mulkey said.
Landram set that record in a 111-43 win over Arkansas State in 2019. She was 14-of-23 from beyond the arc and finished with 42 points. All 23 of her shots were from deep.
LSU may not have a Landram-type performance brewing against Texas Southern, but senior guards Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley did shoot seven and eight threes against Southeastern, respectively. Johnson shot three of her own, Jada Williams made her only attempt and Laila Reynolds missed hers.
While Mulkey’s philosophy does still favor post action, she is willing to adapt her offenses to her roster.
“Whatever your strength is, we’re going to run things for you,” Mulkey said. “Do I think you need post touches in order for those perimeter guys to have easier shots? You better believe I do.”
And this LSU roster is built around the perimeter. Johnson is a converted wing playing the four, and Grace Knox, the starting five, was the only Tiger taller than 6-feet in the starting lineup on Monday. Fulwiley and Mikaylah Williams are former All-Southeastern conference selections and Iowa State transfer Jada Williams got an All-Big 12 nod last year. Fulwiley trailed Johnson with 20 points against southeastern while Mikaylah Williams had 19.
Even if those stellar guards are featured more this season than in years past, that does not mean Mulkey is forgetting about the post, though. She referenced watching her former post star Angel Reese in Game 7 of the WNBA Finals to show the importance of touches in the paint.
“I was screaming like crazy at the TV the other night, ‘Just just get in there, Angel. Just get a post touch. You don’t have to shoot it, but you draw people to you and then you can pick them apart,’” she said.
The WNBA Defensive Player of the Year will be in attendance on Thursday night after leading her Atlanta Dream to the franchise’s first Finals appearance since 2013.
LSU still scored 72 of its 192 points in the paint, and Johnson was most effective under the basket working the offensive glass. 6-5 17-year-old freshman Anna Minaeva had a 14-point double-double in her debut and freshman guard Lola Lampley scored 14 in a similar converted role to Johnson.
Due to the team’s youth down low, Mulkey seems to be embracing her team’s strengths yet again. While it may not have been as apparent on the offensive end, the Tigers’ guard-heavy rotation was made defensive impact as LSU found success pressing the Lions full-court.
With the speed and defensive intensity of Fulwiley and Jada Williams in the backcourt and Johnson’s and Knox’s ability to get out in transition from the post, Mulkey’s Tigers are fast and aggressive. They forced 38 turnovers and grabbed 28 steals in the season opener. The Lions made just 10 of 36 field goal attempts in their 78 offensive possessions. Southeastern did shoot 50% from the floor in a 10-point fourth quarter, although they had just six shots in the period compared to LSU’s 21. Mulkey said it was still something she could focus on with her team as they prepare for Texas Southern.
“What I’m going to do in the film room is I’m gonna show them the third quarter and I’m gonna show them the fourth quarter where that team shot over 50% on us,” Mulkey said.
The Lions scored 16 of their 35 points in the third quarter.
“We just don’t pat ourselves on the back in games like this. We just go to work and get back in the film room.”
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