zThe Dale Brown and Sue Gunter looked a little different with two blue logos on both halves of the court.
What did those logos say? March Madness.
Students and fans filled LSU’s campus Friday afternoon for its first-round matchup against No. 15 Jacksonville, where the Tigers trampled the Dolphins 116-58.
It was a night of history for the Tigers as they tied the record for most 100-point games in a single season with 15.
They also broke the record for the most points scored in an NCAA Tournament game in program history.
On the second possession for the LSU, Mikaylah Williams went all the way to the basket, got fouled and finished through contact for the and-one. After the play, Williams stared at the crowd, hyping the student section, and from that moment on, the tone was set.
The Tigers came out aggressively and wanted to dominate early. One of the many examples was early in the first quarter, when LSU got out to an 8-0 lead with less than nine minutes remaining, and the team came out of the timeout with a full-court press.
Dominate was the only way to describe what LSU did on the boards in this game. The Dolphins didn’t grab their first rebound until almost the halfway mark of the first quarter, and the Tigers outrebounded Jacksonville, 45-21.
There was a clear size advantage for LSU, which also translated into an advantage on the defensive end. The Dolphins committed 15 turnovers in the first half and finished the game with 28.
Shots also were not easy to come by for Jacksonville, as the Dolphins shot 24-for-62 (38.7%)
The Tigers didn’t miss a beat on offense, scoring 65 first-half points and finishing the game shooting 43-for-72 (59.7%)
Williams was the catalyst for LSU early, scoring 16 of her 18 points in the first half. Her versatility on the offensive end has been pivotal for the Tigers’ offense.
She’s able to score on the perimeter and consistently knock down the 3-point shot. She already has one of the best mid-range games in the country, and she’s strong enough to play in the post.
Her effectiveness in the post was on full display against the Dolphins, as she had the mismatch to score down low or pass out of the double team to find the open teammate.
To go along with her 18 points, she also finished the game with 10 assists.
With only two more potential games in the PMAC, Johnson started off her last tournament run on a positive note. She finished the game with 20 points and five rebounds while shooting 7-for-14 (50%) from the field.
The last time we saw Johnson on the court was in the semifinal of the SEC Tournament, where she finished the game with six points and shot 1-for-8 (12.5%) from the field. She eclipsed that number in the first half alone, scoring 13 at the break.
It was all of the Tigers who got involved, with all nine players who touched the court scoring in the blowout victory.
ZaKiyah Johnson ended the game with 16 points and five rebounds while shooting 6-for-7 (85.7%) from the field. Jada Richard also performed well in the win, ending the game with 17 points, four rebounds and four steals.
Seven different players finished the game in double-digits for LSU. The Tigers will be back in the PMAC on Sunday to play the winner of No. 7 Texas Tech versus No. 10 Villanova.