The No. 2 LSU Tigers are ready for March Madness, and they have a warning for opponents in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
On Thursday, LSU’s trio of star guards, senior Flau’jae Johnson and juniors Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley, talked about how excited they were to continue the postseason. The group also reflected on their leadership as they hope to help the Tigers make a deep tournament run.
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“It’s going to be great. We have a lot of experience. I’ve been to a couple of Elite Eights and the national championship,” Johnson said.
“So I think just knowing the ropes a little bit, knowing the focus you have to have and, of course, with Mikaylah (Williams) ― and (MiLaysia Fulwiley) winning the championship as well ― we all kind of know the focus that goes into it. It’s good to have that in the locker room with so many new pieces.”
However, through the excitement, there was a palpable feeling LSU hadn’t reached its peak yet, even with the NCAA Tournament upon us. The Tigers will host the No. 15 Jacksonville Dolphins on Friday evening in Baton Rouge. The sense was LSU’s star players haven’t collectively had a standout performance together yet. It’s been one player or two, but never all three. That realization didn’t seem to bother the Tigers.
“We’re able to do that. I feel like it’s going to come at the right time. And when it’s time, it’s going to come,” Fulwiley said.
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“We’re waiting on it to come, too. But, yeah, it’s coming, and hopefully it starts on Friday,” Williams added.
Johnson, however, had a different perception LSU’s big three and their chemistry. She called it a “blessing” to play alongside Williams and Fulwiley, sharing that having three strong players on one team is “NBA stuff.” The Tigers guard said she believes they have learned from one another. Then, she doubled down.
“I’m glad it hasn’t clicked yet. It makes me optimistic, and it should be very scary for teams coming up (in the NCAA Tournament) because I think we’re all laser-focused, and we understand what we need to do for each other,” Johnson said.
“That’s the kind of mindset that I’ve been thinking. Sometimes I think, why hasn’t it clicked? What are we doing? A lot of self-reflection, but I think it’s coming. It’s going to be nice.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LSU’s stars haven’t ‘clicked’ yet. Why that’s scary for March Madness
