Kim Mulkey alluded to it on Selection Sunday when she noted the last time the LSU Tigers were a No. 3 team, they brought home a national championship trophy. On the heels of back-to-back 100-point showings to advance to the Sweet 16, the head coach went bolder.
“We weren’t talked about at all when we won it two years ago,” Mulkey said following a 101-71 win over No. 6 Florida State. “So let’s go see what we can do.”
LSU thrives in an underdog role and given the rarity of No. 3 seeds winning it all, that’s what the Tigers are again this March. In their title run, success through an underwhelming non-conference schedule drew criticism and questions if they could battle with the top teams in the country.
In this tournament, they became lost in a pack of top-tier contenders and questioned for their ability to score beyond their trio of Flau’Jae Johnson (18.8 ppg), Aneesah Morrow (18.5) and Mikaylah Williams (17.4). All averaged more than 31 minutes per game and contributed 63% of Division I’s fourth-highest scoring average. The bench was, at times, non-existent.
“We don’t even focus on us as a big three,” Johnson said ahead of the Florida State game. “Our goal is not to be the big three. We are trying to be the big eight. We are trying to get everybody else to buy in on another level.”
Peaking at the right time is powerful. That depth success came to fruition the first weekend, an indication LSU could be a force en route to Tampa. Shayeann Day-Wilson scored a season-high 11 points with three 3-pointers in the first-round drubbing of San Diego State. She entered the game a 17.9% 3-point shooter. Sophomore Mjracle Sheppard neared her season-high with 10 on a perfect 4-of-4 day. Eleven players scored at least one point.
Sa’Myah Smith stepped up in the win over Florida State with a balanced quarter-by-quarter attack. She finished with 20 points on a perfect 9-of-9 from the field with 12 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block. It was, in a continuation of the trend, a season-high for the redshirt sophomore.
“This weekend they were special,” Mulkey said. “Our bench was special. Our entire team was special. It was electric in there for two days.”
The team assisted on a season-high 29 baskets, a signal of team ball that’s tough to defend. Players said the two weeks off helped them come together and key in on what they all needed to do to support their stars.
“With Flau’Jae and Mikaylah and Aneesah on the court, it opens up the court for literally everybody else,” freshman Jada Richard said. “You just have to be really in that moment and ready to hit the open shot because they demand so much attention. People are doubling them and we get wide open. Yeah, you’ve got to give credit to them.”
Mulkey said she brought Day-Wilson, Richard and Last-Tear Poa to the postgame dais because they were the primary point guards who take a lot of criticism and deserve the praise for “playing two outstanding games.” She “didn’t have enough room” to bring up all the standout performers from the win, Mulkey said. That’s a great problem to have in March.
“Everybody has got to be on the same page,” Mulkey said. “And I feel like these two games we’ve proven we’re on the same page. Everybody’s got to be healthy.”
It’s difficult to overlook LSU, a program led by one of the game’s largest personalities two years removed from charging to the national title as a No. 3 seed. Yet, in the context of the regular season, the Tigers arguably fell behind a treasure trove of storylines.
South Carolina, chasing a repeat, uncharacteristically faltered in its difficult schedule. Texas came into the SEC via realignment and stole a share of the SEC regular season title. Oklahoma came with them, finishing tied for fourth with resurgent Kentucky. Kenny Brooks, who built the Virginia Tech program into a Final Four finisher, took over the Wildcats program with superstar point guard Georgia Amoore in tow. Traditional power Tennessee went outside of the Pat Summit coaching tree to hire Kim Caldwell, a lesser known coach running a unique system.
By the time postseason basketball arrived, injuries that sidelined Johnson and Morrow in the SEC tournament raised fair questions on an LSU run. Clearly, the duo are in fact good to go, and so is LSU.
There is a week to prepare for NC State’s star-studded backcourt in a game the Tigers can win on the boards with Morrow, who leads the nation with 13.5 rebounds per game. It will be a taller task than limiting national scoring leader Ta’Niya Latson, who still scored 30 in FSU’s loss to LSU on Monday.
Awaiting in the Elite Eight, where the Tigers fell to Iowa a year ago, could be No. 1 overall seed UCLA or SEC foe and fifth-seeded Ole Miss. They lost to the Rebels to start the month. That seems like an entirely different team than the one LSU played like this weekend.
“Not that we take [Sweet 16 berths] for granted,” Mulkey said, “but our goal every year is just to make a run and see if you can get to another Final Four and see if you can upset somebody you’re not supposed to upset.”
