Prior to the LSU women’s basketball team’s upset loss to Auburn on Sunday, 67-62, last week, former head coach Nikki Fargas called the Tigers’ starting lineup the “Fabulous Five” on the SEC Network.
No laughing about how Fargas never had a starting five at LSU that resembled the one Kim Mulkey has now. I’m not here to criticize her for well-documented recruiting failings; rather, I’m here to commend her on a fantastic line.
However, LSU’s present weaknesses were brought into stark contrast on Sunday. Even though it was able to keep the opposition to 68 points or fewer, LSU still lost.
Despite missing shots from inside, outside, and the free-throw line, LSU, the top scoring offense in the country coming into the game, was limited to the fourth-lowest point total in the 86-game Mulkey era. Two guards, Angel Reese with 24 points and 11 rebounds and Aneesah Morrow with 12 points and 15 rebounds, each had a double-double, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the trio of guards, Flau’jae Johnson, Hailey Van Lith, and Mikaylah Williams, combined for just 22 points and zero 3-pointers.
Janae Kent and Last-Tear Poa each scored two of LSU’s four bench points.
Nothing could better highlight the fundamental issue facing the Tigers: LSU is exposed when its excellent starting lineup isn’t playing at its peak. That was true on Sunday against Auburn, it will be true on Thursday against Alabama (8 p.m., SEC Network), and it will undoubtedly be true on Thursday against No. 1 South Carolina.
Poa provides LSU with some crucial minutes. Both center Aalyah Del Rosario, who also played on Sunday but only grabbed one rebound, and guard Kent are future stars. However, none should be expected to provide LSU with that all-important double-digit spark in the event that a starter struggles or is flagged for foul play.
The depth of LSU has diminished. A knee injury suffered by promising player Sa’Myah Smith in the Caymans ended his season, while Mulkey benched guard Kateri Poole last month following a “coach’s decision” that, one assumes, involved some sort of disciplinary action.
They are exactly what LSU needs right now. Smith and Poole would have provided the Tigers with much-needed assistance, even though Smith may have eventually handed up her starting position to Morrow. The Tigers have been playing seven deep as it is, but Kent’s inclusion could be a good thing.
Not that LSU is a poor squad, mind you. Not at all. The Tigers have held their positions as the No. 3 seed in ESPN’s most recent Bracketology, No. 9 in ESPN’s power rankings, and No. 10 in the AP poll. And LSU can defeat South Carolina the next week if it performs to its full potential.
But for this reason, becoming national champions again is extremely difficult. Everyone ranked LSU as the top team in the preseason, but that isn’t the Tigers anymore. Add the fact that you’re getting everyone’s best shot because of last season’s title is LSU’s reality.
Mulkey stated, “This is what happens when you have the kind of social media following that some of our players have.” “All of these (attendance) records are being broken on the road for a purpose. Thus, it’s possible that some of the players weren’t ready for it, and they should know that a lot of those things will happen while they’re wearing the LSU outfit. When that game begins, you have to take the initiative.”
Overall, the Tigers are stronger than they were a year ago. All-American abilities are possessed by Reese, Morrow, and Van Lith; Williams is a particular freshman. Johnson is a probable All-American and All-Southeastern Conference player. Are they a superior squad, though?
Not at this moment.
Talent-wise, former point guard Alexis Morris and former forward LaDazhia Williams were interchangeable. However, LSU has missed Morris’ ability to score, handle the ball, and play defense, as well as Williams’ consistent presence in the paint. Van Lith, a former shooting guard who is now a point guard, has occasionally found the learning curve challenging.
Nothing is lost at all. This isn’t the Premier League, where a 38-game schedule determines the winner. In basketball, March/April is when everything should be pointed toward and peaked. Although it seems unlikely at this point that LSU will be able to muster enough victories to win a second national title or even make it to the Final Four, the team still has plenty of time to develop.
“Our goals have not been destroyed just because you lost to Auburn,” Mulkey reminded them following the game. We still have to meet the objectives that we as a team have set. And that’s just a small roadblock here. And the answer is simple: either you learn from this or you don’t, as I stated following the South Carolina game the previous year.
“I think we’ll learn this year, just as we did last year.”
You still have time to transform from dissatisfied to genuinely amazing.
