Kim Mulkey, LSU, prepare for must-win game at Georgia Thursday

It’s been a rocky start for LSU as the Tigers dropped to 0-2 in SEC play on Sunday, losing to Vanderbilt. Now, Kim Mulkey’s team heads back on the road to take on Georgia on Thursday night in a massive game for the team’s record and confidence.

Injury update: Flau’Jae Johnson is listed as probable for this game, per the SEC availability report. Mulkey said she had some ankle swelling and would be a gametime decision earlier this week, but it appears she will give it a go.

No. 12 LSU will battle the Bulldogs at 5:30 p.m. CT. The contest will be streamed on SEC Network + with Matt Stewart (pxp) and Anne Marie Armstrong (analyst) on the call. Fans are also encouraged to listen to the LSU Sports Radio Network as Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams call the action. 

Dating back to 1982 since LSU and Georgia first met in women’s basketball, the overall series has been tightly contested with the Tigers holding a 28-27 advantage in 55 matchups. LSU goes into this season’s contest having won the last seven matchups against Georgia since a 60-52 victory on Jan. 28, 2021. 

When both teams meet in Athens, Georgia leads the series with a 15-9 record at Stegeman Coliseum. The last time UGA beat LSU was Feb. 23, 2020 by a final score of 73-56. Its last win in Athens came on Jan. 3, 2019 (Georgia won, 63-50). 

Since Coach Kim Mulkey was hired at LSU in 2021, Mulkey has led her program to a 136-22 overall record and a 53-13 mark in the SEC. LSU holds a 16-4 record under Mulkey when coming off of a loss. Most recently, LSU dropped a 80-78 decision to No. 11 Kentucky and dropped a second-straight game to No. 12 Vanderbilt by a score of 65-61.

LSU started 0-2 in conference play for the first time since the 2010-11 season (L vs. No. 5 Tennessee, 73-65; L at South Carolina, 63-61).

Most recently against Vanderbilt, junior MiLaysia Fulwiley and sophomore Jada Richard led the Tigers in scoring with 13 apiece. Fulwiley, who made her first start at LSU, had seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals to accompany her scoring. Richard finished with two rebounds, one assist and two steals. Junior Mikaylah Williams (12) and freshman ZaKiyah Johnson (10) had double-digit scoring totals joining Fulwiley and Richard.

Going into the Georgia game, senior Flau’jae Johnson is nine points away from eclipsing 1,800 career points and becoming the ninth player in LSU history to have at least 1,800 points while in Baton Rouge. Johnson’s 285 career assists during her stint at LSU ranks 17th in program history.

In a stretch that started with No. 11 Kentucky, LSU will take on seven SEC teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 (vs. Kentucky, at Vanderbilt, home/away vs. Texas, at Oklahoma, vs. South Carolina, at Ole Miss, and vs. Tennessee). In Mulkey’s time at LSU, the Tigers are 20-14 against opponents ranked in the Top 25 poll at the time the teams played each other following their 65-61 loss to Vanderbilt. LSU’s five-game opening stretch features four ranked opponents, all of which are currently ranked in the Top 12 (No. 11 Kentucky, at No. 12 Vanderbilt, at Georgia, No. 2 Texas, at No. 5 Oklahoma).

LSU leads the country in 6 statistical categories: bench points per game (45.3), field goal percentage (53.9), rebound margin (21.0), offensive rebounds per game (19.3), scoring margin (48.1), and scoring offense (103.2).

*LSU press release