Tag: Khayla Pointer

How to watch the 2023 WNBA draft Monday, latest projections for LSU stars

A trio of LSU players headlined by Alexis Morris will hope to hear their names called Monday night.

After the conclusion of LSU’s national championship-winning 2022-23 season, several key players are set to move on to the next level.

In total, three Tigers players are eligible for the 2023 WNBA draft, which takes place Monday night in New York: [autotag]Alexis Morris[/autotag], [autotag]LaDazhia Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Jasmine Carson[/autotag]. Morris is expected to go the highest of the three and will attend the draft in person on Monday night as one of 15 players invited.

LSU had two players taken last season in [autotag]Khayla Pointer[/autotag] and [autotag]Faustine Aifuwa[/autotag], both of whom were taken by the Las Vegas Aces. In total, 36 players will be selected in the three-round event.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch the WNBA draft on Monday, including the latest mock draft projections from ESPN for each of LSU’s three eligible players.

How to watch as LSU women’s basketball takes on Kentucky in SEC Tournament opener

The two-seeded Tigers take on the Wildcats in Nashville to open

The LSU women’s basketball team is the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament after going 25-4 and 13-3 in the SEC. The Tigers earned a double-bye and will take on the Kentucky Wildcats in their first game. Kentucky beat Mississippi State on Thursday night to advance.

Here’s a full preview of LSU’s SEC Tournament opener against UK.

Players to watch

LSU

Khayla Pointer was an All-SEC First Team selection and leads the Tigers in scoring averaging 18.7 points per game. Pointer also averages 6.5 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game. The point guard has scored 20 plus points 14 times and has two triple-doubles this season.

With the Tigers’ second-leading scorer likely out for the SEC tournament, Faustine Aifuwa will need to step up. She is averaging 9.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Aifuwa will need to be a factor on both sides of the court, but she can control the paint with her 1.5 blocks per game.

Kentucky

When you talk about the Wildcats, it starts and stops with Rhyne Howard. She is expected to be a top pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft and is averaging 20.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. She can score from anywhere on the court, so LSU will need to pay close attention to her.

Dre’una Edwards is another player that the Tigers must watch out for. She is a solid inside presence for Kentucky and is scoring 17 points per game on 52.3% shooting from the field this season.

How to watch

  • Date: Friday, Mar. 4th
  • Location: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee
  • Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
  • TV: SEC Network
  • Radio: LSU Radio Network
  • Live Stream: ESPN.com/watch

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LSU women’s basketball beats Florida in front of sellout crowd

The Tigers relied on strong defense in a 66-61 win over the Gators.

In front of a packed house at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, the No. 11 LSU women’s basketball team beat the No. 17 Florida Gators 66-61. With the win, the Tigers improve their record to 23-4 and are now in a tie for second place in the SEC.

LSU overcame a lousy game from their leading scorer Khayla Pointer. She only scored seven points on 1 of 17 shooting from the field. However, she did add seven rebounds and three assists.

With Pointer struggling, Alexis Morris stepped up her game and scored 20 points. She struggled from the field, shooting 5 of 15, but she was aggressive driving to the basket and made 10 of 12 from the free-throw line. It was her aggressiveness that helped the Tigers pull out the victory.

Along with Morris, Autumn Newby added 13 points on 5 of 6 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds. Faustine Aifuwa scored 10 points, but her significant contribution was on the defensive end. Aifuwa blocked five shots in the game, including two in the game’s final minutes.

Nina Rickards led the Gators in scoring with 17 points. Kiara Smith pitched in with 13 points, while Zippy Broughton added ten points.

Both teams played well on the defensive end of the court. However, LSU’s 15 points off turnovers and the fact that it made 11 more free throws than Florida proved to be decisive as the Tigers took down a hot team to stay in the hunt for a regular-season conference title.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

LSU’s defense struggles in defeat against Arkansas

Arkansas shoots the lights out from beyond the arc in win over LSU

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The LSU women’s basketball team defense struggles in 90-76 loss to Arkansas. The Razorbacks used strong second and third quarters to put the Tigers away.

Alex Morris led the Tigers with 22 points on 9-18 shooting from the field. LSU’s leading scorer Khayla Point struggled with 13 points on 4-12 shooting from the field. Autumn Newby added 15 points and nine rebounds.

Amber Ramirez led the Razorbacks with 25 points and hit five three-point shots. Makayla Daniels and Samara Spencer both had 20 points apiece. However, the Tigers could not stop the big three from Arkansas.

LSU usually is an excellent defensive team, but not against Arkansas. The Razorbacks scored 90 points and shot 50% from the field. They also shot 52% from the three-point line. Arkansas did a good job moving the basketball, and they had 19 team assist in the game.

The Tigers won the rebounding 39-29, but it did not matter; the Razorbacks shot too well from the field. LSU did not play badly offensively, but their defense let them down.

LSU will return home to play the Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday. The Tigers must play better defense and get more from Pointer to beat a struggling Kentucky team.

Florida takes advantage of LSU’s poor fourth quarter

LSU struggles in the 4th quarter in loss to Florida

The LSU women’s basketball team suffered a tough 73-72 loss to Florida on the road. LSU started slowly in the first quarter but came on strong in the second and third quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Gators outscored the Tigers 19-14.

The Tigers were led by Khayla Pointer’s 35 points on 11-27 shooting from the field. No other scorer for LSU scored in the double-figures. Alex Morris and Ryann Payne were next in scoring with eight points apiece.

Two things hurt the Tigers in this game, three-point shooting. LSU shot 1-9 from beyond the arc. Also, the Tigers only had eight team assists, which means too much one-on-one basketball from Pointer. Moving forward LSU needs to move the ball more.

Florida was led by Kiara Smith, who had 23 points and dished out eight assists. She did an outstanding job getting to the free-throw line knicking 10-13. Smith being aggressive helped lead the Gators to victory. Smith also had help from Jordyn Merrit and Zippy Broughton. Merrit scored 16 points with seven rebounds, four steals, and two blocks. Broughton chipped in with 14 points, four rebounds, and three steals. The Gators 6-17 shooting from three.

LSU has lost two games in a row and will need to rebound against Arkansas on the road on Thursday.

Game Details: LSU Lady Tigers take on the Florida Gators

After a week off the Lady Tigers head to Flordia to take on the Gators.

The LSU women’s basketball team will take on the Flordia Gators in Florida on Sunday. It has been a week since the Lady Tigers have played a game; their last game was last Sunday, a win against Vanderbilt. LSU is 17-2, 6-0 in the SEC, and Florida is 14-5, 4-2 in the SEC.

LSU has won three in a row, and Flordia comes into the game with a four-game winning streak. The Tigers are averaging 77.2 points per game and are 15-1 when they put up more than 64 points. The Lady Tigers are also playing strong defense, giving up just 57.5 points per game and holding teams to 35.2% from the field. Florida scores 68.9 points per game and is 9-3 when they score over 58 points.

Players to watch

Khayla Pointer leads LSU in scoring and assists; she averages 18.1 points and 4.7 assists per game. Pointer has been good from behind the arc, shooting 45%. Alexis Morris is another crucial player for the Tigers, averaging 14.9 points; she is also good on the defensive end swiping 2.2 steals per game.

Kiara Smith is the go-to player for the Gators, with 13.3 points and 4.5 assists; Lavender Briggs adds 12.2 points and 5.5 rebounds for Florida. Jordyn Merritt is the Gator’s third double-digit scorer with 10.2 points per game.

Game details

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 23
  • Location: The Stephen O’Connell Center, Gainsville, Florida
  • Time: 1:00 p.m. CT
  • TV: SEC Network+
  • Radio: LSU Radio Network
  • App: Watch ESPN
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (try it free)

LSU women’s basketball: How to watch, Stream, and listen LSU vs Auburn

LSU will head to Auburn to take on the Tigers, they will look to improve their record to 15-2.

LSU women’s basketball travels to Auburn to take on the Tigers. LSU comes into the game 14-2, 3-0 in the SEC, and Auburn is 8-5, 0-2 in the SEC. After winning six straight games, LSU lost to South Carolina 66-60 in their last game.

LSU comes into the game averaging 76.2 points per game and is 12-1 when they score more than 57 points. The Lady Tigers defense has been outstanding this year, giving up 55.7 points per game. Auburn scores 66.8 points per game and allows 57.1 points per game.

Players to watch

Khayla Pointer leads LSU in scoring averaging 17.5 points and 4.3 assists per game. Pointer is outstanding from behind the arc, shooting 47%. Alexis Morris, the Lady Tigers’ second-leading scorer, is averaging 14.8 points per game, while Faustine Aifuwa is adding 9.6 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Aicha Coulibaly leads Auburn in scoring and rebounding with 18.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest. Honesty Scott-Grayson added 13.3 points per game, and Sania Wells scores 10.4 points per game, giving the Tigers three double-digit scorers.

Game details

  • Date: Sunday, Jan. 9
  • Location: Auburn Arena, Auburn, Alabama
  • Time: 4:00 p.m. CT
  • TV: SEC Network
  • Radio: LSU Radio Network
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (try it free)

LSU women’s basketball uses strong 4th quarter to beat the Aggies

Strong finish keeps LSU women’s basketball perfect in early SEC play

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The LSU women’s basketball team beat Texas A&M 75-66. It is the second top 25 team that LSU has beaten this season. The Tigers trailed going into the fourth quarter 49-46 but outscored the Aggies 29 to 17 to improve to 14-1 on the season.

Alexis Morris led LSU in scoring with  30 points on 9-for-16 from the field, she also hit 4-of-9 three-point shots. Morris also did a great job getting to the free-throw line converting on 8-of 12 free throws. 23 of Morris’s 30 points came in the second half.

LSU’s leading scorer Khayla Pointer pitched in with 17 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Jalin Cherry also added ten points for the Tigers.

The Tigers’ defense held the Aggies’ two leading scorers in check. Kayla Wells was held to 13 points on  5-18 shooting from the field. Jordan Nixon shot 1-of-11 from the field and scored just seven points. Texas A&M just shot 32.9% from the field. LSU outrebounded Texas A&M 49 to 39, including 16 offensive rebounds. Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey thought rebounding was key.

“This is going to be the way it is, it’s the SEC,” said head coach Kim Mulkey. “There are a lot of good players, coaches, and teams. I thought rebounding was key when we were not able to make shots and when we were struggling. The crowd got into it, they helped us get over the hump.”

Up next for LSU will be another top 25 against probably the best team in the country South Carolina at home on Thursday. The Gamecocks lost to Missouri on Friday night. The Tigers will need to continue their strong defensive play to be able to beat South Carolina.

Kim Mulkey, LSU pull off upset in SEC opener

In their first SEC matchup, LSU beats Georgia 68-62

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In their first test of the season, the LSU women’s basketball team took down the No.13 ranked Georgia Bulldogs 68-62. LSU led 41-33 at the half.

Georgia came out strong in the second half, winning the third quarter 16-13, but could not overtake the Tigers. Besides the score, the stats were evenly matched. LSU shot 46% for the game, and Georgia shot 44%.

Both teams grabbed 36 rebounds apiece, 25 defensive, and 11 offensive—the only difference was free-throw shooting. LSU shot 8-15 and Georgia 3-6. It turned out to be the difference in the game.

“It’s their first SEC win with a new coach, a change in philosophy, a change in staff,” said Kim Mulkey. “We were shorthanded, didn’t have Ryann (Payne) here to relieve those guards any.”

“I just was so proud of them. We pretty much handled the whole game until they went to their 3-2 zone (in the third quarter). They don’t play much zone.”

Khayla Pointer led the Tigers in scoring with 21 points on 7-20 shooting from the field and 4-8 from three-point land. Pointer was aggressive in this game, and it helped LSU win. Faustine Aifuwa pitched in with 17 points and nine rebounds; she played well the last couple of games.

Que Morrison had an outstanding game for the Bulldogs; she led the way with 26 points on 11-18 shooting. Morrison also dished out ten assists. Sarah Ashlee Barker added 14 points for Georgia in a losing effort.

LSU did a great job on defense, being active with 15 steals, and did a fantastic job controlling the paint. LSU returns home to face No.23 ranked Texas A&M on Jan. 2.

LSU wins their ninth straight game with defense

LSU women’s basketball now has more wins than 2020-21 after knocking off Clemson.

The LSU Tigers women’s basketball team won its ninth straight game with a 70-56 win against Clemson. LSU is now 10-1 the season, already surpassing their win total from nine last year.

Khayla Pointer led the Tigers with 20 points and eight assists; Faustine Aifuwa had another double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Alexis Morris pitched in with 12 points and five assists.

LSU shot 41% for the game, which is below their average of 47% for the season; they also struggled from the three-point and free throw lines. The Tigers shot 16% from beyond the arc and 57% from the charity stripe.

LSU won this game on the defensive end by holding Clemson to 38% shooting from the field. They also forced 21 turnovers which led to 24 points. The Tigers also benefited from 19 second-chance points.

“We didn’t shoot it particularly well, but that happens,” Coach Mulkey said. “That’s why you’ve got to commit to defense. That’s why you’ve got to commit to rebounding. We knew they would rebound and leap and jump out of the gym.

Kiara Lewis led Clemson in scoring with 13 points, but she only shot 5-of-12 from the field. Delicia Washington pitched in with 12 points on 5-14 shooting. The Tigers did a good job making Lewis and Washington work on the offensive end.

Up next for LSU will be Texas Tech on Tuesday 2:30 PM CT.