LSU’s Shooting Needs to Improve, So Keep On Rebounding

It’s only one loss, but it is one that’s sticking with Flau’jae Johnson.

The now No.7 LSU Tigers faced a tough challenge in their recent game against South Carolina, struggling with fouls and turnovers. LSU played hard. LSU played tough. It was a close game. Still, Flau’jae Johnson couldn’t shake off the sting of defeat.

“The good news is that we can fix those issues,” Johnson declared confidently after Sunday’s game.

One issue that has stood out recently is LSU’s shooting.

LSU had a rough shooting performance, only hitting 30% of its shots against the No. 2 Gamecocks. The Tigers showed slight improvement in their next game against Texas A&M but still shot poorly at 32% for the game against the Aggies.

This year, Johnson, Aneesah Morrow, and Mikaylah Williams – LSU’s Big Three – have a combined shooting percentage of 49%, but that dropped to just 35% in the last two games. For Johnson, her struggles came from issues with maintaining her shooting stance on her 3’s, she said.

After the game, Mulkey discussed LSU difficulties and remains optimistic as they prepare to face off against No. 13 Oklahoma on Thursday night in the PMAC.

“Here’s what’s happening,” Mulkey revealed. “Teams are studying us and figuring out how to neutralize our strengths. It’s all part of the competitive nature of our conference and things will only heat up as we head towards playoffs.”

Despite missing more than 100 shots in their previous two games, LSU managed to win by 13 at home last Sunday against the Aggies.

So what’s their solution to addressing shooting challenges?

Simply put, focus on offensive rebounding.

In those two challenging matchups, LSU dominated the boards with an impressive 58 offensive rebounds – 28 against South Carolina and 30 against Texas A&M – setting new SEC records. These extra opportunities nearly helped them pull off a win against the Gamecocks, who only shot 37%. Under Mulkey’s leadership, when LSU has held opponents under 40% shooting it has resulted in wins in 81 out of 83 games.

Unfortunately, LSU struggled to convert those offensive rebounds into points against South Carolina, only scoring 22 points from 28 offensive rebounds and missing 18 of their 29 layup attempts.

In contrast, the Tigers’ determination on the boards against Texas A&M gave them an advantage, resulting in 21 more shot attempts than the Aggies. Thanks to their strong rebounding, LSU won even on a night when its shooting was off.

After the Texas A&M game, Mulkey emphasized the importance of rebounding: “When our offense is struggling, it’s our rebounding that keeps us competitive and helps us win. I’ve been preaching this since day one and today showed exactly why.”

According to Her Hoop Stats, LSU has the highest offensive rebounding rate (47%) among all Division I teams. In conference play, LSU averages an impressive 19.6 offensive rebounds per game, leading the SEC. Morrow stands out with an average of 14.0 rebounds per game, with only one other player surpassing her offensive rebounding rate (5.2).

Johnson says she is confident LSU’s shooting will soon find its rhythm. And, that could be scary for LSU opponents if and when it happens.

“If we can improve our shooting,” Johnson said, “. . . Just wait; those shots will start falling.”