By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – Kim Mulkey has rarely wavered in her non-conference scheduling philosophy.
Starting her 26th season as a college head coach and fifth at LSU, Mulkey doesn’t sweat the metrics of what it takes to get an NCAA Tournament invite.
She’s not concerned with the strength of schedule or victory margin. You rarely find a Power 4 Conference school on her non-conference schedule because the SEC schedule is riddled with ranked teams.
Mulkey prefers to use non-conference games as safe havens of development where her team can make mistakes and still win comfortably.
Like tonight’s 2024-25 season opener here at 7 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center vs. Houston Christian, the first of 14 non-conference games leading to the Tigers’ Jan. 1 SEC opener at home against Kentucky.
The Tigers should be favored in all but maybe one non-conference matchup, a Dec. 4 date vs. Duke in the ACC/SEC matchup.
“This team is going to get better and better,” said Mulkey of her 2025-26 13-member squad, which has eight new players (five freshman, three transfers) and five returnees off LSU’s second straight NCAA regional finals team.
LSU averaged 134.5 points with an average victory margin of 91 points in exhibition beatdowns of Mississippi College (148-46) and Langston (121-41).
Sophomore Jada Richard has dazzled as the starting point guard, and returning starting guards senior Flau’Jae Johnson and junior Mikaylah Williams of Bossier City have honed their games and leadership skills.
Transfers Katie Koval of Notre Dame and Amiya Joiner of East Carolina have provided a solid, physical game.
And don’t forget South Carolina transfer junior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley, who may be the most athletic player in the SEC, and the five freshmen signees who have surprised the veterans with their poise and talent.
“Obviously, we have the pieces,” LSU associate head coach Bob Stakey. “Jada Richard is the `X’ factor for us. She holds the thing together on both ends. We’ve got three tremendous perimeter threats in Flau’jae, Mikaylah and Fulwiley. “We’ve got a bevy of post players.
“This has really been one of the most enjoyable teams we’ve been around in a while, because they’re just very teachable. They’re very coachable. The chemistry is great. They share the basketball.”
Williams, whose 71-game (70 starts) career stats are some of best in LSU history (15.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 46.7 field goal percentage, 38.3 3-point percentage, 82.7 free throw percentage), is impressed by the newbies.
“The freshmen play with confidence,” Williams said.
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com