Updated March 20, 2026, 2:17 p.m. CT

LSU women’s basketball begins its quest for a second national championship of the Kim Mulkey era on Friday when it faces No. 15 seed Jacksonville to open the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers secured a No. 2 seed and home court advantage for the first two rounds.

Should Mulkey and her team defeat the Dolphins, they would face the winner of No. 7 seed Texas Tech and No. 10 seed Villanova in the second round. Those two teams also play in the PMAC.

Last time out, LSU lost to South Carolina the semifinals of the SEC Tournament. The purple and gold has the lead at halftime but couldn’t hold on, falling to the Gamecocks for the second time this season. The Tigers finished with a 27-4 record with all of its losses coming against Quad 1 conference opponents.

Stream LSU women’s basketball vs. Jacksonville

March Madness marks the final stretch for Flau’Jae Johnson donning the purple and gold. The senior guard was a part of the national championship team as a freshman. She, Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley are the top scorers on the highest scoring offense in the country.

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Jacksonville punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament by winning the ASUN tournament championship. It finished with a 24-8 record but will face an uphill battle to open the Big Dance.

What channel is LSU women’s basketball vs. Jacksonville on today?TV Channel: ESPNLivestream:Fubo (free trial), ESPN+

No. 2 seed LSU women’s basketball vs. No. 15 Jacksonville will broadcast nationally on ESPN in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Tiffany Greene and Carolyn Peck will call the game from the booth at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La., with Alyssa Lang reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers. Fans can also stream the game with ESPN Unlimited.

LSU women’s basketball vs. Jacksonville time todayDate: Friday, March 20Start time: 5 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. ET

The LSU women’s basketball vs. Jacksonville game starts at 5 p.m. CT from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

Stream LSU women’s basketball vs. JacksonvilleLSU women’s basketball vs. Jacksonville predictions, picks, oddsLSU 104, Jacksonville 59: The Tigers will dominate the game in every facet, utilizing their length and transition game to score in bunches. Jacksonville simply doesn’t have the scorers or talent to keep up with one of the country’s best offenses.Spread: LSU by 51.5Over/under: 162 1/2NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Schedule — Friday, March 20Time (ET)MatchupNetwork11:30 a.m.(3) Duke vs. (14) Col. of CharlestonESPN212 p.m.(3) TCU vs. (14) UC San DiegoESPN1:30 p.m.(8) Oregon vs. (9) Virginia TechESPN22 p.m.(6) Baylor vs. (11) NebraskaESPN2:30 p.m.(6) Washington vs. (11) South Dakota StateESPNews3 p.m.(5) Maryland vs. (12) Murray StateESPNU3:30 p.m.(5) Ole Miss vs. (12) GonzagaESPN24 p.m.(1) Texas vs. (16) Missouri StateESPN5:30 p.m.(2) Michigan vs. (15) Holy CrossESPN25:30 p.m.(4) North Carolina vs. (13) Western IllinoisESPNews6 p.m.(2) LSU vs. (15) JacksonvilleESPN6 p.m.(4) Minnesota vs. (13) Green BayESPNU7:30 p.m.(5) Michigan State vs. (12) Colorado StateESPNews8 p.m.(7) NC State vs. (10) TennesseeESPN8:30 p.m.(7) Texas Tech vs. (10) VillanovaESPNU10 p.m.(4) Oklahoma vs. (13) IdahoESPNLSU vs Jacksonville series history

LSU women’s basketball and Jacksonville have only met once before. The game was in December of 2023, when the Tigers secured a comfortable victory over the Dolphins at the PMAC.