BATON ROUGE, La. – The ninth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team, paced by sophomore ZaKiyah Johnson’s 33-point effort, opened the 2026-27 season with a 129-35 victory over in-state opponent Southeastern Louisiana Monday night inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
LSU returns to action on Thursday night to take on the Texas Southern Tigers inside the Maravich Center for a 7 p.m. CT tip. The contest will be streamed on SEC Network + with Lyn Rollins (pxp) and Victor Howell (analyst) calling the action. Fans can tune in to the LSU Sports Radio Network with Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams on the call over the airwaves.
LSU’s margin of victory (94) was the largest in program history, surpassing 89-point wins against McNeese in 2023 and SLU in 2025. In the first half, the Tigers put up 69 points, which signaled the most in a first half in LSU history.
The Tigers’ 129 points also marked the third-most by any LSU team.
Johnson led all scorers with 33 points against the Lions and accounted for 13 rebounds, which gave her the fourth double-double in her career. Her 33 points marked the most by an LSU player since Aneesah Morrow scored 30 points against NC State on March 28, 2025 in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament.
Johnson also finished with three assists and five steals. She achieved career highs in points, steals, field goals made (14), field goals attempted (19), three-pointers made (2) and three-pointers attempted (3).
The Tigers had six players finish in double figures scoring, including Johnson. She was joined by senior MiLaysia Fulwiley (20), senior Mikaylah Williams (19), sophomore Grace Knox (14), freshman Lola Lampley (14) and freshman Anna Minaeva (14).
Minaeva shined in her first action at the collegiate level, picking up her first career double-double with 14 points and 10 boards.
LSU’s offense got off to a torrid start against the Lions, starting the game with a 12-0 run paced by Johnson’s six points. At the first media timeout with 6:54 left in the period, both senior guards Jada Williams and Mikaylah knocked down three-pointers. The Tigers extended their lead to 18 before SLU scored its first points on the backend of two free throws.
To close the quarter, LSU went on a 19-3 scoring run that saw the home squad’s lead balloon to 37-4 after 10 minutes.
Early in the second quarter, SLU elected to call its second timeout as LSU jolted ahead by 10 points in the first three minutes. The Tigers would allow a single three-pointer the rest of the first half and would take a 69-9 lead into the locker room. LSU’s 69 points in the first half marked a program high, previously set against Georgia Southern (1H - 67) in 2025.
LSU’s defense held the Lions to 3-of-22 from the field, 1-of-12 from behind the arc and 2-of-6 from the charity stripe in the first half.
Despite SLU coming out of the locker room and having its strongest shooting stretch of the evening, LSU still outscored the Lions, 31-16, in the third period. The Tigers were able to close out the game with a 29-point fourth quarter that lifted LSU to the 94-point win.