By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
NEW ORLEANS – No. 5 LSU was not at its best, but it was still too much for Tigers’ coach Kim Mulkey’s alma mater Louisiana Tech in an 87-61 victory in front of about 4,000 at the Smoothie King Center Saturday night in the Compete 4 Cause Classic.
The Tigers (11-0) put up their lowest point total of the season after coming in leading the nation in scoring with 111.5 points a game. LSU struggled in the first quarter and trailed 19-17 entering the second period. The Tigers failed to score 20 points in a first quarter for the first time all season and found itself trailing after a first quarter for the first time all season.
“I know you all wanted 100 points again,” said Mulkey, whose team has scored 100 or more in all but two games now. “It was good to see all the LSU fans at this game, but give credit to Louisiana Tech. That’s a good basketball team.”
Kim Mulkey just has too much past and nostalgia at Louisiana Tech to coach vs. the Lady Techsters there, so New Orleans will have to do tonight:https://t.co/awyBt88Q5U
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) December 13, 2025
Junior guard Mikaylah Williams led LSU with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting, while senior guard Flau’jae Johnson recorded her first double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
“I mean, I’ve seen this for three years. I see it every year in practice,” Johnson said of Williams. “When she gets going, you can’t really stop her. She makes ridiculously tough shots.”
By the fourth quarter, LSU found its game, outscoring the Lady Techsters (5-4) by 26-17.
It was an emotional night for Mulkey, who played point guard at Louisiana Tech from 1980-84, then was an assistant coach there for 15 years and won two national championships as a player and one as a coach.
“I was god until Bob Starkey (LSU assistant coach) gave the scouting report,” Mulkey said. “He showed all these old pictures of me and there was a video with highlights of our teams. I’m more wrinkled and gray now, but in my mind I’m still that pig-tailed girl. I got a little teary eyed. Then you get over it.”
The third quarter started off slowly for both teams, but the Tigers caught heat as the period went on. LSU’s Zakiyah Johnson made a steal and took it coast-to-coast for a layup and 61-44 lead to end the period.
LSU used a 9-0 run to start the second period and outscored Tech, 22-11, to forge a 39-30 lead.
Paris Bradley led Tech with 19 points and seven rebounds.
To start the game, LSU jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the first minute before Louisiana Tech hit back-to-back three-point shots to tie it. After trading baskets for most of the period.
The Tigers next play on Tuesday against Morgan State (1-10) at home (11 a.m., SEC Network+).
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