LSU women’s basketball traveled to the Big Easy on Saturday night, as the Tigers took on head coach Kim Mulkey’s alma mater, Louisiana Tech.
The matchup was part of the Compete 4 Cause Classic, an annual tournament that supports community initiatives, especially for underrepresented youth in New Orleans.
With a familiar starting five lineup, the first quarter was a little too close for comfort, with LSU only leading by one or two points, occasionally even letting the Bulldogs take the lead.
Little mistakes started adding up, including missed layups, and the team went 0-for-3 at the end of the first quarter. It was a rough start that needed to be fixed quickly to keep the win streak going.
It was sloppy mistakes that added up in the first half, with LSU only leading by nine points — completely unusual for this team. Mikaylah Williams led the team with a mere 10 points, and the other teammates had a maximum of six points.
As the game progressed, it became more and more disappointing, as LSU had walked away from almost every game this season victorious and scoring over 100 points.
The Bulldogs outshone the Tigers, although the score was in favor of the opposing team. Almost every player who touched the court had almost double digits.
Going 15-for-20 in free throw attempts, Louisiana Tech was following through to finish its shots like Mulkey often emphasizes.
“Louisiana Tech has a good basketball team; they will make you work, so give credit to the team, and I mean, we scored 87 points,” Mulkey said.
The Tigers’ win streak came to an abrupt halt with a final score of 87-61. LSU’s elite offense eventually found its rhythm, but not without some collapses beforehand, keeping Louisiana Tech in the game longer than expected.
Jumping to an early lead, finding success in moving the ball and attacking the paint, but sloppy possessions — including rushed shots and careless turnovers — allowed the Bulldogs to hang around through the entirety of the game.
Despite the final margin, this game wasn’t a perfect performance for the Tigers. Improving performance and cleaning up in the early stages of non-conference games will be pivotal to whether the conference season is successful.
While LSU continues to be undefeated so far this season, the mistakes tonight serve as a reminder that talent alone doesn’t carry the team through the rest of the challenging matches that lie ahead.