The LSU Women’s Basketball players below have been nominated for 2023-24 postseason awards.
LSU’s starting five featuring Hailey Van Lith, Flau’Jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams, Aneesah Morrow and Angel Reese is one of the most talented starting lineups in the country. They all have the capability to explode on any night, providing the Tigers with versatility that makes it hard for opposing teams to slow their roll. In a week in which LSU won three games in seven days, it had a different player in each game score at least 25 points. Out of the starting five, they have all led LSU in points in at least two games this season. They all average scoring in double figures.
Meet the Nominees
Hailey Van Lith
Stats: 11.5 ppg, .399 FG%, 2.2 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.2 spg
SEC Stats: 11.0 ppg, .367 FG%, 2.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.2 spg
In her first season at LSU and learning the point guard position, Hailey Van Lith has shown an improved ability to distribute the ball while still continuing to score in double figures on an offense with firepower at every position. Van Lith ranks No. 9 in the SEC with 3.9 assists per game and her assist/turnover ratio of 1.4 ranks No. 13 in the league. She has 10 games this season with at least five assists and has three games with at least 20 points. Although she is taking three shots fewer per game than what she averaged at Louisville, her shooting efficiency has not dropped off with a .399 shooting percentage. Van Lith possesses the ability to get hot in any game.
Mikaylah Williams
Stats: 15.4 ppg, .493 FG%, 4.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.3 spg
SEC Stats: 13.4 ppg, .459 FG%, 5.3 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.3 spg
Mikaylah Williams has shown her ability as one of the nation’s best freshmen. On a team full of stars, Williams has fit in seamlessly with her smooth game and is leading the team with 31.7 minutes per game which also ranks No. 10 in the SEC. Williams can create her shot anywhere on the floor whether it is catch-and-shoot or off the dribble. Her 15.4 points per game is the 10th best mark in the SEC and she is shooting 49.3-percent from the field with the seventh best efficiency in the conference. In LSU’s fourth game of the season, Williams scored 42 points against Kent State, the most ever by a LSU freshman in the NCAA era. In total Williams has seven games with at least 20 points this year and has continually shown her ability to use her physical prowess to go into the paint and get rebounds.
Flau'Jae Johnson
Stats: 13.6 ppg, .490 FG%, 5.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.3 spg
SEC Stats: 14.8 ppg, .479 FG%, 4.6 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.6 spg
Flau’Jae Johnson has improved after winning SEC Freshman of the Year last season. She has increased production in nearly every stat category and has been tasked with guarding the opponents’ top perimeter players in many games. Johnson possesses the ability to score at all three levels and create offense. Johnson has actively scored in double figures in 16 consecutive games, proving to be a steady force on the offensive end. She is scoring 13.6 points per game (No. 16 in SEC) and ranks No. 8 in the SEC with a .490 shooting percentage. She also is No. 6 in the league with 2.2 steals per game. Johnson had one of the best games of her season at Texas A&M with 20 points (7-11), 9 rebounds and 6 assists.
Aneesah Morrow
Stats: 17.6 ppg, .489 FG%, 10.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 2.8 spg
SEC Stats: 16.7 ppg, .497 FG%, 10.8 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.8 spg
In her first year at LSU Aneesah Morrow has continually shown why she is one of the top post players in the country. A double-double machine, Morrow is relentless on the glass and can score from anywhere on the floor. She has 16 double-doubles this season to lead the SEC and rank No. 6 in the country. Morrow has eight games this year scoring at least 20 and has one 20-rebound game. She also has four games this year with at least 15 points and 15 rebounds. She was named the national player of the week after going off at the Cayman Island Classic over Thanksgiving. She had 28 points and 10 rebounds against Niagara. The following day she willed LSU to victory, who was short Angel Reese and Sa’Myah Smith, with 37 points and 16 rebounds. Morrow is also active and slithery on the defensive end of the floor with 2.9 steals per game (No. 4 in the SEC, No. 18 nationally). She has recorded 5+ steals in six games, including in three of the past five games. Despite being undersized as a post player, she also gathers 1.2 blocks per game (No. 11 in the SEC). She is scoring 17.6 points per game to rank No. 5 in the SEC.
Angel Reese
Stats: 19.2 ppg, .505 FG%, 12.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.7 spg
SEC Stats: 18.8 ppg, .475 FG%, 13.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.8 spg
Angel Reese has continued to be dominant for the Tigers in her second season at LSU. In every one of her 58 games as a Tiger, Reese has scored in double figures, the longest streak like that since Seimone Augustus scored in double figures in 97 consecutive games. Reese has 15 double-doubles this season to rank No. 1 in the SEC and No. 6 in the country. She recently collected her 50th double-double in her 58th game as a Tiger. Reese, who leads the nation in free throw attempts and makes, scores over a third of her points from the foul line. She grabs a nation-leading 5.6 offensive rebounds per game and her ability to get putbacks and draw contact and get to the line makes her a tough matchup in the post. Reese began SEC play with five games in a row scoring 20 points. She has seven games this season with at least 15 rebounds and has recorded 15+ points in all seven of those games. She has four games with 20+ points and 15+ rebounds, including on Sunday against Alabama with 27 points, 19 rebounds and six assists. That was her third 25-15-5 game at LSU; no other women’s basketball star over the past 25 season has had multiple 25-15-5 games.