LSU begins the season with a bang, beating crosstown rivals Southeastern Louisiana in a 129-35 blowout victory. Kim Mulkey leads the Tigers into her sixth season as head coach. Some major players stood out in this game, including leading scorer ZaKiyah Johnson. Johnson is a sophomore guard playing her second season with the Tigers. In the home and season opener, Johnson put on a show, scoring a career-high 33 points in a single game.
She also recorded 13 rebounds, five steals (a career high), three assists and one block. This game marked her fourth double-double. Along with Johnson, five other players reached double digits in scoring. Milaysia Fulwiley followed with 20 points. The transfer from SEC rival South Carolina was able to start in the home opener, something she wasn’t able to do as much last season. However, with Flau’Jae Johnson in the WNBA, there are some big shoes to fill. It seems Fulwiley and ZaKaiyah Johnson may be able to do so.
The Tigers kept the pace and intensity at a maximum, much in line with Kim Mulkey’s play style. Early in the first quarter, the team began a full-court press. They didn’t let up until deep into the second quarter, when the Tigers had already begun to pull away. The starters remained in for most of the game, with all five playing at least 24 minutes. Most of the substitutes played 15 minutes, with Laila Reynolds being the sole exception at 24 minutes of game time.
Leading 69-9 at halftime, Mulkey always had at least one starter on the court. However, the bench played well, with two players, Lola Lampley and Anna Minaeva, also scoring in double digits with 14 points each. Anna also recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 total rebounds. Even in the final minutes, Coach Kim Mulkey was not happy. She felt the team’s play had begun to slack, and despite the lead, she seeks intensity and top-notch play until the final whistle blows.
Photo Cred: Louisiana Sports
Southeastern’s best player was Natalie Huff, a sophomore point guard from Texas. She led the team in scoring with 12 points and added three rebounds. Despite her youth, she appeared confident on the court, even while taking on a much larger school and difficult opponents. LSU opens the season with an easy win before its SEC schedule begins and the season gets into full swing.
Coach Mulkey is going to be hoping the girls can recreate this performance, playing with intensity and drive as the season goes on, especially once the Tigers enter SEC play. If LSU hopes to do better than its previous Sweet 16 exit from the NCAA tournament, the team will have to continue focusing on its game and resting the starters when able. With the season and home opener behind them, LSU looks ahead to its next opponent, Texas Southern. The show has just begun.
