LSU women’s basketball notched a win over in-state Tulane on Wednesday, beating the Green Wave 85-74.
[autotag]Flau’Jae Johnson[/autotag] continues to lead the way, scoring 25 points to go along with 12 rebounds and five assists. [autotag]Aneesah Morrow[/autotag] posted another double-double, scoring 23 and bringing down 11 boards.
LSU struggled from behind the arch, going 3/16. All three buckets came from Johnson, who was 3/6 from deep.
Off the bench, Jersey Wolfenbarger scored 15 points in 26 minutes. She helped LSU outscore Tulane by 20 points in the paint.
LSU was in control for most of the night, but Tulane made it a little interesting with a late run.
The Tigers haven’t been as dominant as usual in their last two contests, but Kim Mulkey’s crew is 6-0 on the year. LSU will be back in action next week, leaving home for the first time to face Washington in the Bahamas. LSU is expected to be favored again there and won’t face a ranked team until South Carolina on Jan. 23.
Here’s what LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said following the win.
On the versatility of Aneesah Morrow
“The kid just has a motor. It’s like in life, you want to be around people that have energy and enthusiasm and it matters to them and they just never stop, no matter if they make a shot, miss a shot, get a rebound, they don’t get a rebound. She’s constantly working. No one outworks her.”
On inconsistency
“I thought we just became very complacent, jacking up shots, one pass, one shot, one pass, one shot,” Mulkey said.
Mulkey said the team will get better at mixing up offensive looks with better ball movement as they get more experience playing together.
On the veteran experience of Last-Tear Poa
“The impact can be her experience. She’s going to take charges. She’s going to open her mouth. And all that is good, she knows the position. She can play any of the three positions on the perimeter for us. She will tell you her true position is the off guard. She’s been very unselfish in playing the point for us. It’s good to have her back,” Mulkey said.
Mulkey added that she expects Poa’s production to get “better and better.”
On figuring this team out
Mulkey said this team is trying to figure out what its identity is.
“It may be a while before I know the identity of our team. I just know that when you’ve got five players and they go four of 23, we’re better than that.”
Mulkey said it has to be more than just Johnson and Morrow getting it done.
“But these other players are good. And I’m going to challenge them because you’re missing wide-open layups. And it’s not the defense. If it was the defense, the opponent, I’d give those guys credit. I’m one that will always give credit to the opponent, but we’re just missing chippies.”
On leadership
Mulkey took some time to share her thoughts on younger players’ willingness to lead.
“I don’t know why young people don’t want to lead anymore. Do you have a suggestion? I think I know why. Because they want everybody to like them. Leaders aren’t going to be liked. Leaders are going to challenge their teammates. Leaders are going to hold them accountable. I never had a problem just leading and guiding as a point guard, and taking care of them, but challenging. Kids don’t want to lead anymore,” Mulkey said.
On the LSU – Tulane rivalry
“I’m not sure our team knows the rivalry between LSU and Tulane. And you know why? I think we only got three that are from the state of Louisiana,” Mulkey said.
“You spend time as a coach to try and make them understand the history of Tulane and LSU athletics. And you have to put that out there in your scouting report. And part of putting that out there was they’re not going away, and they didn’t.”
“I grew up 40 minutes from here and all I ever heard was Tulane and LSU, and so that score tonight and that competitiveness did not surprise me.”