By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
No. 9 LSU (1-0) routed Southeastern Louisiana (0-1) 129-35 to open the 2026-2027 women’s basketball season in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Monday night. A brief stoppage for a clock malfunction after the Tigers won the opening tip was the only relief the Lions received as LSU suffocated its Southland Conference foe defensively and capitalized with 48 points off 38 turnovers.
The 129 points are the most LSU has ever scored in a regular season opener, surpassing the 125 points the Tigers scored against Bellarmine in 2022 – a mark that, at the time, was a program record for points in a game. The 94-point victory is the largest ever for LSU.
Sophomore guard ZaKiyah Johnson led the way for the Tigers offensively, scoring a career-high 33 points on 14-of-19 shooting. She was 2-of-3 from three and made three of her six free throws. She also led the game with 13 rebounds, nine of which came on the offensive glass. Johnson set the tone for LSU early, grabbing offensive rebounds on the Tigers’ first two possessions to score the game’s first four points and also recorded three assists, five steals and one block. It is her fourth double-double in 35 games as a Tiger.
Six Tigers finished in double figures: MiLaysia Fulwiley (20), Mikaylah Williams (19), Grace Knox (14), Lola Lampley (14) and Anna Minaeva (14). Guards Jada Williams, Laila Reynolds and Chloe Larry were the only Tigers to see the floor and not finish with double-digit scoring, although Williams totaled a team-high eight assists.
The Tigers were lights out from deep, making 10 of their 20 three-point attempts. Mikaylah Williams led the way from beyond the arc, finishing 5-of-7 from three-point land. The senior started the game red hot. Her first missed shot did not come until 6:37 left in the first half, going 4-of-4, including three made threes, from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line for 13 points before the miss. She also added five rebounds, six assists and four steals in her 25 minutes of action.
The Tigers outscored the Lions 37-4 in the first quarter. SLU Junior guard/forward Dian Szakolczi drew a foul on ZJ and made the second of her two free throws to score the Lions’ first points. Before the foul, SLU was 0-of-6 from the field and had six turnovers. The Lions’ only successful field goal attempt of the first half came on the following possession after a quick missed Fulwiley three led to a fast break layup for Lions guard Natalie Huff. Southeastern finished the period 1-of-9 from the field with 12 turnovers.
LSU piled on in the second period, again outnumbering Southeastern 32-5 to build a 69-9 advantage at the half. Reynolds made a big impact off the bench in the frame. The Florida transfer played all 10 minutes, scored six points on 3-of-4 shooting, grabbed five rebounds, and added a steal and an assist. At the break, LSU had held Southeastern to just three made field goals on 22 attempts and forced a turnover on half of the Lions’ 44 possessions.
The onslaught continued in the second half, although Southeastern did find more offensive success, scoring 16 points and shooting 50% from the floor in the third quarter. LSU, however, stifled any progress the Lions may have made cutting into the deficit by scoring 31 points of their own thanks in large part to 14 offensive rebounds in the period.
The freshman duo of Minaeva and Lampley gave the Tigers quality minutes in the post off the bench. Lampley was an efficient 4-of-8 from the floor and made all six of her free throw attempts. Minaeva showed off her blossoming physicality in the paint and mature touch around the rim. The 17-year-old finished with 10 rebounds and made five of her ten field goals.
The Tigers closed out the game by scoring another 29 points in the fourth period. They finished the game 48-of-86 from the floor while holding SLU to 10-of-36. The Tigers out-rebounded the Lions 54 to 19, including 31 offensive rebounds.
The Tigers will be back in the PMAC on Thursday night to host Texas Southern of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (7 p.m., SEC Network+).
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