By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE –LSU women’s basketball season opener tipped off at 7:02 Tuesday night.
But the 5th-ranked Tigers didn’t really ignite vs. Houston Christian until South Carolina transfer guard MiLaysia Fulwiley walked to the scorer’s table with 6:18 left in the first quarter.
LSU guard Mikaylah Williams felt a palpable jolt.
“The crowd goes wild every time she steps on the floor,” Williams said. “I feel that energy. It’s exciting to play with her.”
Seventy seconds after she checked in, Fulwiley dribbled behind the back, backstepped and nailed a 3-pointer. It started her fabulous debut of 21 points and seven steals in a 108-55 LSU win.
“I think I was ready to play,” Fulwiley said, “ready to just start my third year of college. I was just feeling blessed, just feeling grateful.”
She sparked LSU’s first-half closing 10-0 run when the Tigers (1-0) had five steals in the final two minutes. Then, she scored the LSU’s first six points on a pair of three-point plays in the opening minute of the third quarter.
Fulwiley didn’t start, and LSU head coach Kim Mukley said she didn’t want to describe Fulwiley as a “spark plug” off the bench.
“When I was a player (at Louisiana Tech), I came off the bench for two years and they said, `Oh, she’s a spark plug’,” Mulkey said. “I hated it. I was like, `Well, OK, I’m a spark plug, but when am I gonna be the engine?’
“So, I’m very careful about how I use that with Malaysia, because her skill level and her talent is better than just a spark plug. Our job as she goes into her third year of college is to help her become a complete player, not one that does it in spurts or coming off the bench. The good thing is, she’s very unselfish.”
Williams and Flau’Jae Johnson, LSU’s two returning starters who were All-SEC first-team honorees last season, had stat-stuffing performances.
Bossier City’s Williams, a former Parkway star, began her junior season with 14 points on 6-of-9 field goals (2 of 2 3s), 7 assists, 4 steals and 3 turnovers.
Johnson started her senior year with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 assists.
Mulkey, now 23-3 in season openers (4-1 at LSU, 19-2 at Baylor), played more than 15 different lineup combinations. All 12 Tigers who played scored.
The strength of LSU’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class of five freshmen and three transfers was evident in the somewhat balanced scoring between the Tigers’ starters (49) and reserves (59).
“I could start a different group every night,” Mulkey said. “The message to them is `Don’t get caught up in starting. If you get caught up in starting, then you’ve got the wrong coach to play for.”
LSU plays again at home Thursday night at 7 vs Southeastern Louisiana.
Contact Ron at ronhiggismedia@gmail.com