By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – There’s one week left in the regular season, and LSU’s women’s basketball team still leads the nation in scoring offense, rebound margin and bench points.
On Sunday afternoon, with 11,278 fans and more than five decades of former Tigers’ players as witnesses on the program’s Alumni Day as witnesses, Kim Mulkey’s 7th-rated squad showed they’re ready to accelerate into March Madness.
They surpassed their 95 points per game scoring average in a 108-55 SEC blowout of Missouri. They obliterated their rebound margin (18.0) by outrebounding the visitors by 47. They blew past their bench points per game figure (39.4) with four reserves accounting for 48 points.
When Mulkey learned Missouri starting center Jordan Remma was sidelined with an injury, she switched to a smaller lineup using five guards and turned the game into a track meet.
“We had not really practiced or prepared to play that lineup,” Mulkey said. “It worked, and it was entertaining. Everybody wanted to get a piece of that rebound and take off. “Consequently, we scored a lot of points. That was a fun game to watch.”
The most amazing stat of the day for the Tigers (24-4 overall, 10-4 SEC) was a playing rotation with only one player taller than 6 feet that collected 72 rebounds. It’s the second most by any SEC team ever in a league and the most for LSU against an SEC opponent.
Three of LSU’s seven players scoring in double figures – MiLaysia Fulwiley (22 points, 11 rebounds), Zakiyah Johnson (17 points, 14 rebounds) and Mikaylah Williams (12 points, 10 rebounds) had double-doubles.
It was the first double-double of South Carolina junior transfer Fulwiley’s career and the first time she scored 20 or more points in two consecutive games. Her offense vs. Mizzou was fueled by a career-high six 3-pointers (in nine attempts).
“I just felt good,” said Fulwiley, who also had four assists, three blocked shots and two steals. “I let it go. I just got my feet set and kept shooting it, but making sure I was taking smart shots.”
Johnson, a 6-foot freshman, seemed to gobble up every LSU missed shot. She had 11 offensive rebounds, two more than Mizzou’s team total.
“Being smaller, I have a quick leap,” Johnson said. “I’m kind of eyeing the ball (on a shot), seeing where it’s going, and I’m using my quickness to get up and grab it really quick. It’s just something. I’ve been doing my whole career. Now, it’s an emphasis for me.”
Mulkey, who benched Williams in the second half of LSU’s 78-70 comeback win at Ole Miss Thursday night, complimented the former Bossier City Parkway star for her defense on Missouri’s Grace Slaughter.
Slaughter scored a team-high 14 points, but 10 came in the first quarter. She finished missing nine shots, including five 3-pointers.
“Mikaylah moved her feet and really guarded Slaughter, who’s tough to guard,” Mulkey said. “I don’t think Slaughter shot the ball particularly well for what I’ve seen her do, and I think a lot of it has to be attributed to Mikaylah.”
Leading 23-14 after the first quarter, the Tigers put back-to-back 31-point second and third quarters.
Senior guard Flau’jae Johnson ignited LSU’s second quarter. After her scoreless 0 for 6 first period, she scored 11 of her game-total 16 points in the next 10 minutes to boost the Tigers’ halftime cushion to 54-22.
Mulkey unofficially suspended freshman Grace Knox for Sunday’s game, a result of her physical foul followed by an obscenity after blocking an Ole Miss shot on Thursday.
LSU hosts Tennessee on Thursday in the last regular-season home game. The Tigers’ three seniors, led by four-year starter Flau’Jae Johnson, will be honored.
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com
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