Ninth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team placed seven players in double figures led by Mikaylah Williams’ 23 points to demolish Loyola-New Orleans, 119-54, in the team’s final exhibition Thursday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
The Lady Tigers had another player – ZaKiyah Johnson – with 22 points, while MiLaysia Fulwiley had 16, Lola Lampley 16, Grace Knox 12, Laila Reynolds 12 and Anna Minaeva 10.
“I think we’re still gelling as a team,” Knox said. “Being able to run the floor and having Anna (Minaeva) back today, I feel like she’s a big piece to our squad. I think just having the ability to get into rhythm and use our chemistry that we have off the court, on the court and watching it translate and showing us things we need to improve on as the season continues.”
Williams added five assists, two rebounds and three steals. Minaeva, a 6-foot-5 freshman from Russia, made her debut for the Lady Tigers and collected five rebounds and made three of four shots and four free throws.
“I just want her on that floor every day, and she hasn’t been for the last couple of weeks,” LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said of Minaeva. “I can’t wait to get her on the floor tomorrow, get her in the film room, show her all the things, because the things that young lady does, she’s extremely basketball smart. She will ask questions and she will put her hand up. ‘I have a question,’ and she’s going to ask it, and I like that. So that tells you she’s in tune with what’s going on, she’s not tuning you out because there’s a language barrier. She understands.”
LSU scored 48 points off 36 turnovers, blocked five shots, which included three emphatic blocks from Knox. Fulwiley had eight of LSU’s 22 steals on the night.
The Lady Tigers used a 13-2 after the first timeout in the first quarter for an 18-point lead with Williams leading all scorers with eight points through the first 10 minutes. The Lady Tigers increased their lead to 61-20 at halftime with Williams reaching 14 points at the break followed by Johnson and Fulwiley with 13 points each.
LSU return to action on Monday, Nov. 2, against Southeastern Louisiana at the Maravich Center at 7 p.m. The game will be televised by the SEC Network.
