The LSU Tigers stumbled to their first loss of the season in a close 80-78 defeat against the Kentucky Wildcats. While the Tigers still sit comfortably with a 14-1 record, the Kentucky game may carry bigger consequences than just one mark in the loss column. It may have exposed a soft spot in the fifth-seeded group that could complicate its Championship push.

While a late 3-pointer from Kentucky’s Tonie Morgan and a lack of rebounding led to the defeat, something peculiar struck Hunter Cruse while watching MiLaysia Fulwiley play. 

The author at The IX Basketball revealed that the 20-year-old guard has not made a successful left-handed layup for 23 months, pointing to February 2024 as the last time.

“Left-hand deficiencies & an inability to play w/ pace really show up when she can’t just explode past everyone; makes everything look far too complicated,” Hunter wrote in her X post, also uploading a 12-second compilation from the LSU Tigers’ loss to the Kentucky Wildcats to corroborate her claims.

Replying to Hunter’s tweet, Phoenix Stevens, who covers the WNBA with On3, Rivals, and KSR, wrote, “I’m glad my thoughts of  “what the hell is MiLaysia Fulwiley doing?”  last night were justified. She really should’ve stayed at South Carolina.”

MiLaysia Fulwiley transferred from South Carolina to the LSU Tigers in 2025 in order to have a concrete path forward in her basketball career as a point guard. And while she has been receiving limited game time, the 20-year-old has ramped up her numbers. She is now averaging 14.3 points while playing just 20 minutes on average every game.

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However, she’s been quiet over the last couple of outings. That concern is magnified by the fact that the LSU Tigers coasted through a soft pre-January slate, with Duke as the only high-major matchup. Now, with ranked teams lined up to attack every flaw, MiLaysia Fulwiley could be in for a much tougher stretch. LSU’s non-conference strength of schedule sat at 186, per Warren Nolan, and has since jumped to 28.

In her first college game, MiLaysia Fulwiley wasted no time announcing herself. She slipped in like a thief, knocking the ball loose from her defender before bursting up the floor, smoothly shifting the dribble from right hand to left. As the defense collapsed in the lane, she never broke stride. Instead, Fulwiley pulled off a slick behind-the-back self-pass that left defenders momentarily lost, clearing the way for an easy layup that capped a five-second sequence few could look away from.

That is the kind of instinct, agility, and creativity her fans have been missing. However, if Fulwiley’s history tells us anything, it’s that her new HC, Kim Mulkey, probably doesn’t need to worry.

Growing up on highlight reels and mixtapes rather than strict fundamentals, Fulwiley can be hit or miss with the basics. Some nights, everything works. Other nights, nothing does. She’ll attempt moves no other guard in the country would dare try, then freeze in spots where she needs to be active. That unpredictability makes her exciting to coach, but also incredibly challenging.

As South Carolina Gamecocks assistant Khadijah Sessions had said, “That’s what makes me nervous about her: I have no idea [what she might do]..Sometimes the opponent can say something to MiLaysia, and she’ll probably do something crazy. Sometimes the crowd can get MiLaysia doing things that we don’t really want her to do.”

So, it may simply be part of Fulwiley trying to figure herself out as she settles into a fresh chapter with the LSU Tigers, searching for a steady identity to match her undeniable talent. And Dawn Staley has already made it clear that MiLaysia Fulwiley is a “bounce-back player.” When she messes up, she owns it, absorbs the lesson, and puts in the work to get it right the next time.

The LSU Campaign is a Tough Pill to Swallow for MiLaysia Fulwiley So Far

MiLaysia Fulwiley’s LSU campaign so far has been a harsh reality check. The 20-year-old transferred from fellow rivals South Carolina, with many citing her inability to lock down a starting spot as the main issue. However, her campaign at LSU has been similar, if not worse.

MiLaysia Fulwiley hasn’t cracked the starting lineup in any of the LSU Tigers’ 15 regular-season games, and she’s averaging 20 minutes, only about a minute more per night than she did last season with the Gamecocks.

Then, in the loss against Kentucky, Fulwiley logged just 16 minutes, finishing with two points, one rebound, and one assist. Foul trouble kept her on the bench and limited LSU’s offensive options when the game tightened.

Afterward, head coach Kim Mulkey was asked how much Fulwiley’s foul issues affected the offense, and her response carried a blunt message about “growing up.”

“Foul trouble always takes you out of your rhythm. And I didn’t get her off the floor quick enough to keep her from getting that third foul. I was trying; I had somebody at the table, and I decided I’m not going to call a timeout right there to get her off the floor. But some of that you have to know how many fouls you have. And so part of that is growing up, and knowing how many fouls that you have,” Mulkey said.

The shifty guard has already shown she can make the most of her time on the floor. But MiLaysia Fulwiley still has room to sharpen her game if she wants to secure a starting role with the LSU Tigers in the upcoming games, which is something we expect to happen.