The matchup between the Longhorns (25-2, 11-1) and the Tigers (25-1, 10-1) Sunday will have a significant impact on the outcome of the SEC regular season title with 3 teams (Texas, LSU and South Carolina) tied atop the conference standings.
LSU's leading scorer, G Flau'Jae Johnson (19.6 ppg), was listed as questionable in an injury statement made Saturday evening - no idea what the injury is. In addition to the points, Johnson averages 31 minutes a game so it would definitely be a significant loss for the Tigers. LSU has 2 other starters averaging 10+ ppg - F Aneesah Morrow (18.2) and G Mikayla Williams (17.0). G Kaylin Gilbert comes off the bench for 10.1 ppg.
The 6' 1" Morrow has averaged a double-double every season including her freshman and sophomore years at DePaul. Williams is their most consistent threat from 3, hitting 51/129 (39.5%). Outside of those 3, there's been some fluctuation in LSU's lineup. 6' 2" F Sa'Myah Smith and 5' 6" G Shayeann Day-Wilson have each started 17 of 26 games and 2 other players have 8 starts. Smith has great length and can run the floor very well. In addition to Smith, 6' 5" F Jersey Wolfenbarger and 6' 6" C Aalyah Del Rosario give LSU some size in the paint but Wolfenbarger is a very slim stretch 4 and Del Rosario has a tough time getting up and down the floor in the 2 games I've seen.
If the Longhorns can defend their home court, it would almost guarantee at least a share of the SEC regular season title. Both teams play physical, aggressive defense and crash the boards relentlessly. The Longhorns rely on a team effort for their +10.8 rebounds per game with no player averaging more than Madison's 6.6. LSU has Morrow at 14.2 rpg and then a huge drop to Flau'Jae Johnson at 5.7 to register a +13.6 edge in boards. Morrow has been a beast on the glass since she stepped foot on a college campus and has failed to hit double digit rebounds just twice this season (5 in 11 minutes vs Northwestern St and 9 against aggy in 34 minutes) - fewer than the 3 games with 20+ boards. If the Longhorns can keep a body on Morrow and hold her to 8-12 on the day, I'd call that a win.
Play Vic's defense, make Morrow work for every rebound she does pull down and pressure LSU into committing turnovers (which they can be prone to do) and Texas should be able to get an incredibly important home win.
Finally...We all know what a horrible person Kim Mulkey is but she is a master at selling something to recruits to get them to sign and then consistently pulls in transfers over them. She did it for years at Baylor and, with the current Transfer & NIL rules, has taken it to a whole new level. 40% of the LSU roster started their college careers somewhere other than Baton Rouge. When she was still at Baylor, I kept waiting for recruits to wisen up. Never happened and it doesn't seem like it ever will.
@mln59 @thar0902 @icdb17 @wb3032 @BrownHorn
LSU's leading scorer, G Flau'Jae Johnson (19.6 ppg), was listed as questionable in an injury statement made Saturday evening - no idea what the injury is. In addition to the points, Johnson averages 31 minutes a game so it would definitely be a significant loss for the Tigers. LSU has 2 other starters averaging 10+ ppg - F Aneesah Morrow (18.2) and G Mikayla Williams (17.0). G Kaylin Gilbert comes off the bench for 10.1 ppg.
The 6' 1" Morrow has averaged a double-double every season including her freshman and sophomore years at DePaul. Williams is their most consistent threat from 3, hitting 51/129 (39.5%). Outside of those 3, there's been some fluctuation in LSU's lineup. 6' 2" F Sa'Myah Smith and 5' 6" G Shayeann Day-Wilson have each started 17 of 26 games and 2 other players have 8 starts. Smith has great length and can run the floor very well. In addition to Smith, 6' 5" F Jersey Wolfenbarger and 6' 6" C Aalyah Del Rosario give LSU some size in the paint but Wolfenbarger is a very slim stretch 4 and Del Rosario has a tough time getting up and down the floor in the 2 games I've seen.
If the Longhorns can defend their home court, it would almost guarantee at least a share of the SEC regular season title. Both teams play physical, aggressive defense and crash the boards relentlessly. The Longhorns rely on a team effort for their +10.8 rebounds per game with no player averaging more than Madison's 6.6. LSU has Morrow at 14.2 rpg and then a huge drop to Flau'Jae Johnson at 5.7 to register a +13.6 edge in boards. Morrow has been a beast on the glass since she stepped foot on a college campus and has failed to hit double digit rebounds just twice this season (5 in 11 minutes vs Northwestern St and 9 against aggy in 34 minutes) - fewer than the 3 games with 20+ boards. If the Longhorns can keep a body on Morrow and hold her to 8-12 on the day, I'd call that a win.
Play Vic's defense, make Morrow work for every rebound she does pull down and pressure LSU into committing turnovers (which they can be prone to do) and Texas should be able to get an incredibly important home win.
Finally...We all know what a horrible person Kim Mulkey is but she is a master at selling something to recruits to get them to sign and then consistently pulls in transfers over them. She did it for years at Baylor and, with the current Transfer & NIL rules, has taken it to a whole new level. 40% of the LSU roster started their college careers somewhere other than Baton Rouge. When she was still at Baylor, I kept waiting for recruits to wisen up. Never happened and it doesn't seem like it ever will.
@mln59 @thar0902 @icdb17 @wb3032 @BrownHorn
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