After being up by 6 points in the second quarter, No.5 LSU ended up falling by 13 points to No.4 Texas. Aaliyah Crump and Madison Booker went on a streak, knocking down five straight shots and nine of 10 shots late in the second to completely flip the switch. LSU never had a chance then on, eventually lost 77-64. While the loss grabbed headlines, an LSU freshman has come under the spotlight for her behaviour during this loss: Grace Knox. 

It was the third quarter. With the scoreline reading 45-42 to Texas, the Longhorns were looking to score on the break. Knox, being the paint protector, tried to get back to defend the rim. In the process, she clashed into Zakiyah Johnson. On slight contact, she was called for her third foul of the day. That irked Knox as she immediately protested to the referees and seemed to have some words for them. 

Mikaylah Williams approached Knox to calm her down, but she swatted her hands off. She did the same when Flau’Jae Johnson came around to have a talk with her. Fortunately, Knox did not get a technical foul. But Kim Mulkey, understanding the situation, immediately substituted her and had a conversation with the youngster on her way back to the bench. While she returned to contribute later in the third and fourth quarters, Knox’s behaviour was met with backlash from fans. 

Fans Call Out Grace Knox  For ‘Anger Problems’ After Disappointing Texas Loss

“Undisciplined,” a fan summarized. Knox has been aggressive throughout this season. The trash talk has not stopped, nor has the winning. Against Charlotte back in November 2025, the game was heated, much like this one. Grace Knox picked up the Tigers’ third technical foul after a vicious block in the fourth quarter. Physical games seem to bring that out of the freshman, and in that mood, fans saw some disrespect towards a veteran. 

“Doing your vet like that on national television is dead wrong. Why she do that to Flo? That’s embarrassing 😳,” wrote a fan. The shove to Williams was immediate, and she ignored Flau’Jae, but they did not escalate things. They understood that Knox was heated and let it slide for this time. If this becomes a trend, then it could crack the internal locker room dynamics. On the other hand, this also signals that Knox is comfortable being herself with everyone on the team. And there is no particular hierarchy. It depends on perspective.  

Beyond the heated moment, Knox had an average game at best. She had 4 points and 6 rebounds in 19 minutes while going 2-4 from the field. She started the season from the bench but has started for Kim Mulkey in the last 7 games. However, the numbers have been inconsistent. She is averaging 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds from the bench, but 8.9 points and 3.4 rebounds while starting. It feels that the responsibility of starting has taken a toll on the youngster. 

“Grace Knox got a anger problem? Lol like baby you are okay, it’s one game,” wrote another fan. To be fair to Knox, this altercation was after a physical play on the other end. It looked like Williams was grabbed by Harmon, but there was no call. That is what Knox was pointing towards immediately after the whistle. Nevertheless, such discrepancies are common, and players can’t get emotional regarding such a situation. It shifts focus away from your game and towards the uncontrollables, a lesson young Knox will learn with time. 

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“That freshman temper. She needs to stay composed & use that anger on D,” commented a fan. LSU was notoriously loose on defense in this game. It was their worst defensive display since the Kentucky loss more than a month ago, according to Barttorvik. Knox, being the premier paint protector, needs to be on her game so that the defense is airtight.