The transition offense of the LSU women’s basketball team was firing on all cylinders in their first exhibition game against Xavier of New Orleans. Flau’jae Johnson set the tone with a steal and fast-break layup early on, leading the No. 7 Tigers to a dominant 114-53 victory in front of their home crowd at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Johnson, a junior eligible for the WNBA draft, led the scoring charge for LSU with an impressive 30 points on 13-of-19 shooting and added 10 rebounds, a block, and three steals. She credited her defensive mindset for her strong performance, saying “I feel like I have good games when I get a stop first.”
Head coach Kim Mulkey mixed up her lineups throughout the game, as several key players were sidelined due to minor injuries or off-court obligations. Despite missing Mikaylah Williams, Sa’Myah Smith, and Last-Tear Poa, the Tigers showcased depth and versatility in their rotations.
“We have a lot of guards on this team,” Mulkey said. “And they all bring something different to the table.”
Senior forward Aneesah Morrow, named co-SEC preseason player of the year, also had an impressive showing with 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Transfers Shayeann Day-Wilson and Kailyn Gilbert and highly-touted freshman Jersey Wolfenbarger rounded out the starting lineup for LSU.
Mississippi State transfer Mjracle Sheppard made an impact off the bench with 12 points, six rebounds, and six steals.
Mulkey also praised freshman Jada Richard for her composure and offensive contributions. The former Lafayette Christian Academy standout finished with 14 points.
Defensively, LSU forced 33 turnovers and held Xavier to just 34% shooting from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. Their aggressive play also led to 19 steals and 21 fouls drawn.
The Tigers will take on LSU-Alexandria in their final exhibition game before officially kicking off the 2024-2025 season, which will be Mulkey’s fourth at the helm for LSU. Their first regular season game is set for November 4 against Eastern Kentucky.
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