This was the first major test for LSU women’s basketball this season.
Before taking the floor against No. 20 North Carolina State in the Bahamas at the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship on Wednesday afternoon, the No. 7 Tigers had played mostly teams from smaller schools and others that haven’t been successful recently.
The Wolfpack made the Final Four last season. LSU head coach Kim Mulkey, who said after the Tigers rallied to edge Washington on Monday that she’s still learning her team, was going to have a lot more answer after the matchup with NC State.
LSU rebounded well, signaled by doubling up the Wolfpack and with 10 offensive boards, and its bench kicked in plenty of production as LSU downed NC State 82-65 to get its first ranked win on the season.
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LSU women’s basketball stepped up while star Flau’jae Johnson was on bench
Flau’jae Johnson was relegated to the bench with 8:35 left in the first half with early foul trouble. By inserting Kailyn Gilbert, who was the hero against the Huskies, into the lineup, LSU was able to weather the storm without Johnson against the Wolfpack.
The Tigers grew their lead with Johnson sitting. They turned a seven-point advantage into 13 points by halftime. Impressively, LSU held NC State scoreless the last 3:18 of the second period.
Johnson didn’t have her best day but she battled to put up 16 points.
LSU sophomore sensation Mikaylah Williams bounces back
Two days after going 0-for-9 from the floor and scoreless in the nail-biter against Washington to open LSU’s trip in the Bahamas, sophomore sensation guard Mikaylah Williams hit her first shot attempt in the NC State game.
She made two of her first three shots and looked to be in much better rhythm on the offensive end Wednesday afternoon.
Williams went on to drain four 3s en route to scoring a game-high 24 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
Kim Mulkey’s bread-and-butter paves way for LSU’s win over NC State
Mulkey’s teams have always been known for rebounding. And in that stat, this game was not close.
LSU outrebounded the Wolfpack 25-6 by halftime. The Tigers were able to convert some of those boards into eight second-chance points, mostly led senior star forward Aneesah Morrow, who finished the game with 18 points and 15 rebounds — her seventh double-double this season.
North Carolina State lost a lot of its size after last season with the graduation of River Baldwin and Mimi Collins, but LSU also lost size with the departure of Angel Reese.
LSU dictated the tempo of the game Wednesday by how it dominated the boards, ending with a 44-24 advantage in rebounds.
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Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU women’s basketball aces 1st big test, stifles NC State in Bahamas
