The first season of LSU women’s basketball saw the Tigers establish themselves as a winning program. The program’s inaugural season saw the Tigers go 17-14. With three wins in the AIAW State Tournament, LSU advanced to regional play in its first season, matched up against Oklahoma State. LSU would dominate its first regional game with an 86-60 win over OSU. Although LSU would drop its next game to Baylor, LSU had wrapped up its first season, laying a strong foundation for the next 50 years.

LSU opened the 1976-77 season up by making program history. Playing West Texas State, the Tigers won the game 109-48 as it marked the first of many games LSU would score 100 points as a program. It would be the first of two games in LSU’s second season the Tigers would score triple figures as that season saw the program make its entrance to national relevancy.

Of all of the stars in LSU Women’s Basketball history, Maree Jackson was one of the first. On February 12, 1977, Jackson scored 47 points, becoming LSU’s first player the score over 40 in a game and leading the Tigers to a 92-89 victory over No. 11 UNLV which marked the program’s first win over a ranked team.

In two seasons at LSU, the Australian Jackson was unstoppable. She still holds the No. 1 and 2 scoring seasons in program history (1,012 1977-78, 831 1976-77)) and owns the best career FG-percentage (.651). In all she scored over 40 points five times throughout her two seasons at LSU and recorded a program-record 12 20-point, 20-rebound games.

Behind the post duo of Australians Julie Gross and Maree Jackson, LSU started the season slow, but finished the regular season with a 21-5 mark. LSU went to the AIAW State Tournament in Ruston where they finished in second place which earned LSU a spot in the AIAW Regional Tournament. LSU got on a roll, stomping Texas by 28 points, a three-point win over Stephen F. Austin and then a 16-point win over Baylor to qualify for the national tournament. LSU had victories over Western Washington with a 40-point performance by Maree Jackson. Next up, LSU faced Baylor once again. Maree Jackson continued her dominance with 25 points and 26 rebounds to propel another LSU victory to send the Tigers to the national semifinal.

In the national semifinal, LSU faced steep odds, drawing a matchup against Immaculata who was one of the early powerhouses of women’s basketball. Jackson finished with 29 points and 19 rebounds while Gross had 23 points and 11 boards, propelling LSU for the upset win on to the national championship game. In the championship LSU fell to Delta State who jumped out to a quick lead that LSU was never able to close. For 46 seasons, the 1976-77 LSU team held the distinction of being the only team in program history to play for in a national championship game.

In 1977-78, the Tigers achieved their first No. 1 ranking as LSU spent most of January and February atop the Associated Press poll, after having started the year ranked No. 2 in the nation. The Tigers stayed there until Feb. 15 when Tennessee moved ahead of LSU. Despite being ranked No. 2 in the nation, LSU couldn’t advance out of the Regionals as the Sue Gunter-coached Stephen F. Austin Lady Jacks eliminated the Tigers in the semifinals. LSU still won 37 games, which remains the school record for victories in a season.

Julie Gross and Maree Jackson, both Australians, formed one of the most dominant post duos in LSU history. Together, they helped LSU establish itself quickly as a top women’s basketball program. In 1978, Gross and Jackson became LSU’s first two All-Americans.

Already established as one of the top women’s basketball coaches in the country at Stephen F. Austin, Sue Gunter became LSU’s head coach coach ahead of the 1982-83 season.

In Gunter’s first season as head coach of the Tigers in, she received the National Coach of the Year honor from the Basketball News. Gunter guided LSU to a 20-7 record and posted a 6-2 mark in the Southeastern Conference.

Joyce Walker established herself as one of the early stars of the LSU Women’s Basketball Program. She still holds the program’s best career scoring mark with 2,906 points throughout her career, leading LSU in scoring all four seasons throughout her career and including two 40+ point games. Her 1,259 made field goals rank No. 2 in NCAA history. Walker also ranks No. 7 in program history with 429 career assists and No. 19 with 598 career rebounds.

In Walker’s first three seasons, LSU won 17+ games each year and she averaged over 20 points each season. When Walker was a freshman LSU played in the AIAW Regional Tournament followed by the SEC Tournament the next two seasons. The Tigers then finished 23-7 during her senior season and Walker led LSU to its first NCAA Tournament appearance, reaching the Sweet 16.

Other key players on LSU’s first team to reach the NCAA Tournament included Rhonda Howard, Madeline Doucet, Ramona Dozier, Cheri Graham and Alisha Jones.

One of the bright spots in 1994-95 was Sue Gunter’s 500th career victory on the same night Gayden set an NCAA record with 12 three-point goals in a 92-62 win over Jackson State on Feb. 9 in Baton Rouge. The record stood for over 20 seasons. LSU suffered through its worst record ever that year as the Tigers posted a 7-20 mark. Despite the losing record the year prior, LSU signed one of the nation’s best recruiting classes for the 1995-96 season and the results were immediate.