Kim Mulkey and LSU Women’s Basketball Team Pick Up First SEC Win Against Georgia

By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter

The No. 12 LSU women’s basketball team picked up its first conference win of the season, defeating Georgia 80-59 behind a dominant defensive performance.

LSU held Georgia to just 31% shooting as the Bulldogs (15-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) made 22-of-71 shots. The Tigers also forced the Lady Bulldogs to turn the ball over 12 times, totaling three steals and eight blocks.

Senior guard Flau’jae Johnson led the Tigers (15-2, 1-2 SEC) in scoring with 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting (69%). Johnson surpassed 1,800 career points with the Tigers in a return to her home state of Georgia. Her 1,816 points rank No. 9 in program history in scoring.

“She needs to continue to lead,” Mulkey said after the win. “She’s not going to score 25 every night. Just lead us. And if you’re going to lead us, good things are going to happen.”

Three other Tigers scored over 10 points including junior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley (18), freshman forward ZaKiyah Johnson (12) and senior forward Amiya Joyner (12).

LSU used a strong fourth quarter to close out the game comfortably. In the first five minutes, Mulkey’s squad outscored Georgia 13-3 to give the Tigers an 18-point lead. LSU outscored Georgia 24-11 in the final frame.

Even though closing out games in the fourth quarter has been a struggle for the Tigers in their first two SEC games, LSU was able to capitalize against Georgia.

“We valued our possessions offensively,” Mulkey said. “I thought the fourth quarter as well as the entire game, conditioning did not affect us as much. Coming off screens, handoffs, getting people to help, just keep the same pace on the defensive end in the fourth quarter like you have in the first quarter. And that’s what we’re trying to learn is that defense and rebounding will keep you in ballgames.”

Coming out of the half, LSU and Georgia traded buckets. The Lady Bulldogs would eventually pull within five points with 5:06 to play in the quarter, but then LSU would also go on a run to go into the fourth quarter with the 56-48 lead. Flau’jae Johnson scored six points in the quarter.

Fulwiley picked up right where she left off in the first quarter as she scored LSU’s first five points of the quarter to make it 24-18. LSU capped off an 11-0 run when ZaKiyah Johnson finished an easy layup at the rim after she was left wide open to make it 32-18. LSU took the 38-28 lead into the half. Flau’jae Johnson led the quarter in scoring with six points.

LSU and Georgia went back-and-forth in the opening minutes. The Tigers’ defense held the Lady Bulldogs to just 2-of-8 shooting in the first five minutes of the game. Out of the first official timeout, LSU used a 7-0 run to take the 17-9 lead with 3:14 remaining. The Tigers took a 19-15 lead going into the second quarter. Fulwiley scored six points on 2-of-2 shooting and grabbed two rebounds in the quarter.

The Tigers will return to Baton Rouge and will face their toughest task yet as they take on No. 2 Texas (17-0, 2-0 SEC) on Sunday afternoon in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (2 p.m., ESPN).