The fifth ranked LSU women’s basketball team improved to 14-0 with a 91-73 win over Illinois Chicago on Thursday night.
The Lady Tigers played in Chicago because it is senior star Aneesah Morrow’s hometown. Morrow celebrated her homecoming with her 86th double-double to surpass Chiney Ogwumike for the sixth most in Division I history.
Morrow had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Flau’jae Johnson led all scorers with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Mikayla Williams only hit one three-pointer, but still scored 17 points.
Just like last season, LSU can score offensively, but at the moment they don’t have a point guard.
Versus the Flames, Williams played point guard for the first time, because starter Last-Tear Poa was ineffective.
A potential solution at point guard for LSU is transfer Shayeann Day-Wilson. But she’s missed the last three games with an ankle injury.
Day-Wilson has started eight games this year and has done a good job of distributing the ball to LSU’s three big scorers as she’s averaging a career-high 4.4 assists per game.
But after averaging nearly 12 points a game at Miami last season. Day-Wilson is averaging just four points a game at LSU and she’s shooting a woeful 27% from the field and 20% from three-point territory.
“I know what lies ahead for this basketball team, I got to find a point guard, I got to find someone I trust, somebody the team trusts, I don’t care if they score, defend, know everybody’s job out there and run the show like you’re the coach on the floor, I shouldn’t have to be doing that but that’s what I’m doing right now,” said LSU coach Kim Mulkey.
Mulkey also expressed her displeasure with the team’s defense during her appearance on the LSU Sports Radio Network postgame show.
“Defense is work, and our team honestly doesn’t take pride in it, they think they are just good enough to outscore everybody,” Mulkey said. “This tonight reminded me of an NBA All-Star game, just throw the ball out there and see who can shoot the most 3s and get a few layups.”
UIC made 11 three-pointers on Thursday night when they came into the game averaging just five on the season.
Dribble drive penetration by guards was a problem for this team last year and it’s an issue again this year.
LSU has one more non-conference game on Sunday December 29th and then they jump into SEC play with a trip to Fayetteville to take on Arkansas on January 2nd
