Flau’jae Johnson entered Sunday’s top-five clash with Texas as a question mark. LSU listed her as questionable on Saturday, then downgraded her to a “game-time decision” hours before tip-off. She went through warm-ups with a sleeve on her lower right leg. But once the game started, it was clear—Kim Mulkey’s focus was elsewhere. Instead of leaning on Johnson, Mulkey threw her support behind Aneesah Morrow and Sa’Myah Smith, who carried the Tigers in a grueling battle against Texas’ dominant frontcourt.
When asked about Flau’jae, the response was brief and to the point: “She did fine.” But, the praise was endless when it came to LSU’s post players. Aneesah Morrow and Samia Smith’s relentless effort against Texas’ towering frontcourt stole the show, proving that heart, often outshines height.
No. 5 LSU fell to No. 3 Texas 65-58 in a gritty battle. Despite a monster performance from Morrow, who dropped 15 points and grabbed 20 rebounds. Texas, led by Madison Booker’s 16 points, overcame a brutal shooting start to rally late, sealing the win with four clutch free throws in the final 24 seconds.
Morrow and Smith didn’t back down an inch. Despite not having the size, Smith brought the grit—blocking shots and holding her ground like a pro. Morrow? Same energy. She stood tall, showing everyone that toughness beats size any day. Together, they shut down Texas’ post-game, flipping the script on what everyone thought would be a Texas-dominated storyline.
But foul trouble in the third quarter let Texas back in. The Longhorns scored eight of their last 10 points in the quarter from the free-throw line, staying within striking distance. Booker, who went 0-for-11 in the first half, found her rhythm late, hitting key shots and free throws to seal the win.
The SEC’s grueling schedule as the coach noted, prepares teams for the intensity of March Madness. “It’s tough in this league,” she said, hinting that the battles now will pay off later. For LSU, the emergence of Morrow and Smith as reliable post presences could be the difference-maker when the stakes are highest.
Texas, meanwhile, continues to prove its resilience. With their 10th straight win and a perfect 21-of-21 from the free-throw line, the Longhorns are showing they can grind out victories even when the shots aren’t falling. Both teams are shaping up as forces to reckon with come March.
Kim Mulkey on LSU’s Loss: Missed Chances and Toughness Issues
Kim Mulkey didn’t sugarcoat things after LSU’s tough loss to Texas. The Tigers had their chances, but just couldn’t close it out. “We were in ballgames, had opportunities to, you know, possibly steal a victory, and we just didn’t get it done,” Mulkey said. One of the biggest issues? Execution down the stretch.
LSU struggled with inbound plays, leading to costly violations. Mulkey put that on her team’s ability to handle pressure in crunch time. “Call a timeout. Execute a play when you leave a timeout and go do it,” she said. That lack of execution along with some missed free throws made the difference in a low-scoring, hard-fought game.
She also took some responsibility for not subbing more on the perimeter. “I probably should have substituted more of my perimeter players throughout the game, and I didn’t. So that’s on me,” she admitted. Defensively, LSU did a solid job early, holding Texas to poor shooting in the first half. But things shifted in the second, especially with Texas’ Madison Booker heating up after scoring just two points in the first half. “We didn’t change anything… Ballers figure out a way to score,” Mulkey said.
Despite the loss, LSU’s post players battled and Mulkey acknowledged that. “Would you say they dominated today? Our post battled,” she said, pushing back on the idea that Texas’ frontcourt controlled the game. At the end of the day, it came down to toughness in key moments. LSU fought, but Texas executed when it mattered most.
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