Leading with a high score and even higher pride, Flau’jae Johnson knows she’s acing it every time she steps on the court. Always vocal and showing exactly why she’s earned her confidence, Johnson’s got a bit of a chip on her shoulder when it comes to her competition. So when she met Mississippi State this time around, she made sure to take her revenge and made it loud and clear why she calls herself “Big Fo.”

Flashback to last season when the Lady Tigers took on Mississippi State. The Bulldogs handed LSU a tough 77-73 loss in Starkville, with MSU’s guard Jerkaila Jordan going off for 24 points. Johnson, tasked with guarding Jordan for much of the game, found herself struggling as Jordan lit up the scoreboard. After the game, Jordan took to social media, calling Johnson “Little Fo.” 

But, as they say, payback always comes around.

Fast forward to Sunday’s showdown at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. This time, “Big 4” wasn’t having it, locking down the SEC star and giving her no room to operate. After the game, when asked about what motivated her, she didn’t hold back. “It was personal. After we lost last year, I took that to heart. And then she went on Twitter and talked about how I was ‘Lil 4.’ So, I was thinking about that since last year,” Johnson said. 

“I’m a competitor. So, I didn’t care if I scored this game, as long as I did what I did on defense. And I tied my career for four blocks. So, Big Fo,” she added. 

And she did deliver in a way that sent a message.

She held Jordan to a goose egg, keeping her scoreless on 0-of-9 shooting. It was a defensive masterpiece as Johnson’s presence stifled MSU’s best player (finished with nine points on 2-for-12), and her performance helped No. 5 LSU secure an 81-67 win over the Bulldogs.

From the very beginning, the junior’s frustration was visible. She wasted no time shutting down Jordan’s attempts, blocking two of her shots early on. Bulldogs guard, a quick-twitch guard, didn’t stand a chance. Johnson blocked her out at every turn, forcing turnovers and shutting down drives. 

But the guard didn’t just shine on defense, she (and her team) also made waves on offense, fully embodying head coach Kim Mulkey’s non-negotiable mission.

Flau’jae Johnson’s rage & ‘big 3’ win it for LSU

The game was led by the big three: Mikaylah Williams, Flau’Jae Johnson, and Aneesah Morrow. Williams started things off on fire, knocking down a 3-pointer right out of the gate. She has this notion that if that first shot drops, it’s gonna be a good night for her. And it indeed was. 

By halftime, she had dropped 16 points, going 6 for 8 and 4 for 6 from beyond the arc. She ended with 22 points, leading LSU in the win. While the sophomore guard set the tone, it was senior star forward Aneesah Morrow who did the work down low. Morrow posted 21 points and 20 rebounds, marking her 21st double-double of the season. 

With those boards, Morrow helped the Tigers pull away to a 16-point lead in the first half. Then, it was, obviously, Johnson. She knocked down a season-high four 3-pointers on her way to scoring 20 points. 

Together, Williams and “Big 4” combined for 42 points, with the two of them shooting a scorching 8-for-14 from deep. As a team, the Lady Tigers shot 40.5% from the field and 45% from three-point range, proving they can score from anywhere. 

It was truly the Tigers’ collective effort that had them rolling. The team has now won three straight games after their first loss to South Carolina. Now, they are gearing up for a road trip, with their next game on Thursday, Feb. 6, against Missouri.