“Greatness demands constant vigilance”. This is what Kim Mulkey and her LSU Tigers have been reminded of in the early stages of the 2024-25 NCAA season. Despite a 74-60 victory over Murray State on Friday, the Tigers were caught sleeping when they acquired a halftime deficit that exposed vulnerabilities and left Mulkey reevaluating her team’s readiness. The game wasn’t just a wake-up call; it was a reminder that things might not be as good as they think.

In her post-game reflections, Mulkey was candid about what went wrong, focusing on her sophomore forward, Sa’Myah Smith. A journalist noted Smith’s unusually low number of shot attempts, prompting Mulkey to explain the challenges her player faced.

“Didn’t she pick up two fouls again in the first half? That’s not good. That’s not good. But she kind of [got] desperate in that particular moment. Jersey had two fouls. She’s got to quit fouling, she’s got to move her feet, she’s got to get back to being the Sa’Myah of old. And we’ve got to help her. We’ve got to help her,” Mulkey noted.

Smith’s stat line for the night reflected the struggle. In 26 minutes, she recorded just 5 points on 2-of-4 shooting, with 4 rebounds and 3 personal fouls. While she contributed defensively with two blocks and a steal, her performance underscored Mulkey’s concern about her fouling tendencies.

The second-quarter meltdown was historic. In Mulkey’s 108-game tenure at LSU, no team had ever outscored the Tigers by 20 points in a single quarter. Yet, the Racers showcased a blueprint for containing LSU by limiting turnovers and controlling the offensive glass. During an 8.5-minute stretch spanning late in the first quarter and into the second, the Tigers missed 16 of 18 field goal attempts, falling into a rhythmless abyss.

LSU stars shine late, but Kim Mulkey’s Tigers get a wake-up call against Murray State

Despite the scare, LSU’s stars eventually rallied. Flau’jae Johnson, who finished with 25 points and 7 rebounds, spearheaded the comeback. Aneesah Morrow contributed nine of her 10 points in the second half and grabbed 14 rebounds, while freshman Mikaylah Williams added 15 points and 8 boards. The turning point came early in the fourth quarter when Morrow’s layup off a Johnson assist gave LSU the lead.

Reflecting on the victory, Mulkey credited her team’s defense for responding to the challenges posed in the post-game press conference, “Defense got better on stopping them from making shots.” But the game made one thing clear: LSU has work to do if it hopes to meet its Head Coach’s lofty aspirations.

As Mulkey continues to fine-tune her lineup, the balance between nurturing young talent like Sa’Myah Smith and relying on seasoned players will be critical. For now, the Tigers remain unbeaten, but the Murray State game serves as a stark reminder that complacency has no place in championship pursuit.