Preview: LSU looks to get back on track vs. Vanderbilt Sunday

Kim Mulkey’s team took a heartbreaking loss to Kentucky on Thursday night, dropping LSU to 0-1 in conference play with a newfound desperation as the Tigers head on the road to face Vanderbilt on Sunday.

Can the Tigers get the win and steady the ship? Here are my three keys and a full preview of everything to know heading into this game.

Brune’s Keys to the game

1. Defending Mikayla Blakes — One of the best scorers in the country, Blakes has followed up her first-team All-SEC freshman year with another sensational season. Who guards her? Jada, MiLaysia, and Flau’Jae are the group to choose from but none were great against Kentucky.

2. Dominating on the inside — We knew Kentucky would be a tough matchup with its size, but Vanderbilt does not pose the same problems. However, Vandy will shoot a ton of threes ranked No. 24 in 3-point attempts and shooting nearly 37 percent for the season.

3. Handling adversity — Mulkey talked about it for weeks, what will it look like when this team of new faces handles adversity? What does the locker room look like then? Well the Tigers have a losing record right now and are going on the road against a top 12 team. It’s not ideal, but let’s see what this team is made of.

Prediction: LSU 84, Vanderbilt 78

LSU vs. Vanderbilt preview

The fifth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team continues its SEC schedule Sunday afternoon as it makes its first conference road trip to Nashville to take on No. 12 Vanderbilt at Memorial Gymnasium.

The LSU-VU contest is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. CT, and it will be televised on ESPN with Beth Mowins (pxp) and Carolyn Peck (analyst) on the call. Fans are encouraged to listen to the LSU Sports Radio Network with Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams calling the action. 

LSU comes into the Vanderbilt game having won the last nine matchups against the Commodores, dating back to LSU’s 64-58 victory on Feb. 26, 2017. Since both teams met for the first time in 1986, LSU leads the overall series, 28-26. When both teams faced off in Nashville, LSU leads, 15-6. The last time LSU played at Vanderbilt, the Tigers came out on top, 85-62 on Feb. 8, 2024. The Commodores last defeated LSU on Feb. 13, 2017, by a score of 70-68 in Nashville.

The 2026 matchup will mark the first time LSU and Vanderbilt are meeting as ranked opponents since 2014.

Against Kentucky in LSU’s SEC opener, junior Mikaylah Williams led the Tigers with 26 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. Williams’ points and rebounds marked a season high for the 6-0 guard. Sophomore Jada Richard matched her career high in points with 14, while senior Flau’jae Johnson (15) and senior Amiya Joyner (14) also finished with double digits in scoring.

Going into the Vanderbilt 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 284 career assists during her stint at LSU ranks 17th in program history.

LSU leads the country in eight statistical categories: bench points per game (46.9), field goal percentage (54.5), rebounds (746), rebound margin (21.1), offensive rebounds per game (19.3), scoring margin (51.5), scoring offense (106.0), and steals (233).

*LSU press release