LSU Tigers’ bid to down South Carolina for the first time since the 2011-12 season didn’t go as planned at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Kim Mulkey’s team suffered a narrow 79-72 defeat, a result defined by their disappointing display of free-throw shooting. Their star, Flau’jae Johnson, missed four times from the line, including her two consecutive misses in the fourth quarter, with 45 seconds remaining on the clock. Yet, Mulkey isn’t buying into the idea of blaming her senior guard for the defeat in the press conference.
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“The same thing, I think of her every time I get to coach her. What a blessing it is to have her,” Mulkey said when asked about Johnson’s two free-throw misses in the fourth quarter. “Now, you will focus on those last two free throws. We missed nine. There’s a difference in the ball game. Look at the stat sheet. We scored the same number of field goals, and we outrebounded them nine. We were 14-for-23 from the foul line; that’s where the game was lost. Make your free throws, you win.”
Mulkey’s assessment was clear and direct. She’s not overlooking Johnson’s free throws in the fourth quarter that could have narrowed their deficit by a few more points, but her major highlight was the team’s overall performance from the free-throw line. The Tigers converted just 71% from the free throw line, in contrast to South Carolina’s impressive 88% (15-17).
However, individual performances do add up in this regard. Along with Flau’jae Johnson, Grace Knox missed twice from the line, with Amiya Joyner, Zakiyah Johnson, and Jada Richards each missing once. And these nine unused points eventually pricked the Tigers harder in a back-and-forth game where the margin was immensely tight, and the teams had to strive for every point.
Loopholes in LSU’s free-throw shooting have been a recent topic of discussion. For instance, the Tigers boast a free-throw success percentage of 74.10, ranking 87th in the country. It is quite an impressive percentage, but it is much lower than other top-ranked teams like UConn and UCLA. On the other hand, Johnson, who missed four free throws, also has an impressive 74.6 percent success rate.
Yet despite these decent numbers, the Tigers fumbled at what could be their strongest challenge of the regular season. “I’m not really sure,” Mulkey said when asked about her team registering a lower percentage compared to the overall season percentage. “If I knew that, I’d be in psychology, wouldn’t I? I have no idea. If you get to the free-throw line, reward yourself.”
With the free throw, LSU’s shooting from the perimeter just added more fuel to their problems. Kim Mulkey’s team scored just two three-pointers in the game. Flau’jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams, the only players from LSU to score 10+ points in the game, split one each in this regard, as the Tigers trailed South Carolina 17% to 47% in this metric.
However, despite these hurdles, Mulkey has identified a major positive from this game that can immediately boost the team’s long-term ceiling.
LSU Freshman’s Performance Signals Major Positive for Kim Mulkey Amid Flau’jae Johnson’s Final Year
Six minutes was all it took for the LSU freshman guard Bella Hines to create an immediate impact against the South Carolina Gamecocks. Though Hines’ stay on the court was short, she logged six points, with 3 of 4 from open play, along with an offensive rebound. It was a glimpse of what Hines is actually capable of, and head coach Kim Mulkey has a big thumbs up for her in the press conference.
“I saw a kid that I need to play more with,” Mulkey said. “She needs to take away some of the minutes of them coz she got there and guarded Tessa, and she wasn’t afraid to bow up to her. She made shots and had a lot of energy and effort. And she has my respect.”
Hines has primarily been an off-the-bench player for LSU this season. She is averaging 4.1 points and has formidable skills on either side of the court. Additionally, she doesn’t hesitate to defend against the opposition’s best players. For instance, in the South Carolina game, she wasn’t reluctant to go against Tessa Johnson in the third quarter, who was the Tigers’ major offensive threat and led the Gamecocks with 21 points.
For the limited time we have seen of Hines, her future at LSU is quite bright. And with their talisman, Flau’jae Johnson, in her senior year, Mulkey might look towards her to at least give her some consistency in that position. That being said, her role this season is also going to expand, as Mulkey said in the upcoming games.
The Tigers have two upcoming ranked games, and Hines will again be a formidable weapon off the bench for Mulkey. No. 14 Ole Miss is up next on February 19, followed by Tennessee on February 26. These are crucial games, given the Tigers want to keep their AP and Poll rankings intact. Can Mulkey and co. be able to storm back in the season after their South Carolina defeat? Do let us know in the comments.