Preview: No. 12 LSU looks for statement win vs. No. 2 Texas

No. 12 LSU takes on No. 2 Texas on Sunday afternoon in the PMAC at 2 p.m., looking for what would be the biggest win of the season and a win that would get the Tigers back to .500 in SEC play.

Here are my keys to the game and the full preview.

1. Make Harmon uncomfortable — Rori Harmon is having an excellent year and dictates a lot of what Texas does well on offense averaging 7.8 assists in four SEC games. MiLaysia Fulwiley and Jada Richard have to have a strong game defensively and try to make her uncomfortable. They weren’t able to do this against Tonie Morgan of Kentucky.

2. Battle on the glass — Texas is No. 1 in offensive rebound rate and No. 3 in defensive rebound rate early in SEC play and the Longhorns attack the glass in waves with various bigs and Madison Booker on the wing. The Tigers’ have to be ready to fight at every position.

3. Home court advantage — The home crowd absolutely has to be a factor to fuel LSU in this game. The stars have to play like stars to match Texas’ firepower. I expect we get an enthused Tigers squad today.

LSU vs. Texas preview

In the Tigers’ first contest against an AP Top 2 squad since the 2025 NCAA Elite Eight versus UCLA, the 12th-ranked LSU women’s basketball team will take on No. 2 Texas Sunday afternoon inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center for the program’s fourth ballgame of the 2025-26 SEC schedule.

LSU, which earned its first SEC victory of the conference slate against Georgia on January 8, will play the Longhorns at 2 p.m. CT, and it will be televised on ESPN with Beth Mowins (pxp) and Rebecca Lobo (analyst) on the call for the Top 12 matchup. Fans can listen to the action on the LSU Sports Radio Network with Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams calling the action.

Tiger fans are encouraged to pack the PMAC Sunday afternoon while wearing their best white gear for this season’s White Out. LED wristbands will be placed in every seat courtesy of FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake, and white shirts will be placed in every lower bowl seat. Doors to the Maravich Center open at 1 p.m. CT.

LSU enters Sunday’s game against No. 2 Texas with a 15-2 overall record and a 1-2 SEC record. LSU and Texas will meet for the 11th time in series history. The Tigers are hosting the Longhorns in Baton Rouge for the first time as SEC foes and the 4th time since both teams played one another in 1977 at the first meeting in Monroe, La. (LSU won, 95-67 – AIAWT). Texas leads the overall series 7-4 with LSU holding the 2-1 advantage in games played in Baton Rouge. 

LSU and Texas last met in the 2025 SEC Tournament where UT came out victorious, 65-49. Texas has won the last three meetings (March 8, 2025; Feb. 16, 2025; Nov. 24, 2017). LSU last defeated the Longhorns, 71-55, on March 27, 2004 in the NCAA Sweet 16. In the 11 contests between the two schools, both teams have been ranked in seven games.

Senior Flau’jae Johnson paced the 12th-ranked Tigers with 25 points as she led LSU to an 80-59 victory against the Georgia Bulldogs. Johnson, a Georgia native from Savannah, bounced back from her scoreless night at Vanderbilt on January 4, putting up 25 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. 

She surpassed 1,800 career points at LSU, becoming the ninth Tiger to score at least 1,800 points in their career. Johnson shot 9-of-13 from the field and drained all six free throw attempts. Johnson’s 25 points was a season high for the 5-10 guard.

Junior MiLaysia Fulwiley joined Johnson as LSU’s second leading scorer with 18 points, four rebounds, three as- sists, four blocks and two steals. Johnson and Fulwiley were joined by senior Amiya Joyner (12) and freshman ZaKiyah Johnson (12) with double digits in scoring. Joyner brought down 11 rebounds with her 12 points, which marked her fifth double-double of the season and the 46th of her collegiate career.

LSU leads the country in 7 statistical categories: bench points per game (45.2), field goal percentage (54.1), rebounds (837), rebound margin (20.2), offensive rebounds per game (18.6), scoring margin (46.5), and scoring offense (101.8).

*LSU press release