Exactly 364 days ago, LSU walked off the court heartbroken, their season ending in the Elite Eight. And here they are again, same stage, same stakes. But this time, it’s personal. The Tigers are looking for revenge. But so are the Bruins. Why? Because last year, LSU’s path to the Elite Eight came at UCLA’s expense in the Sweet 16. Now, it’s UCLA’s turn to flip the script. And you know who’s taking this personally the most, throwing a challenge? No, not someone from last year’s Bruins squad.
It’s UCLA’s Janiah Barker. She transferred from Texas A&M, but her SEC roots have kept one thing alive—her dislike for LSU. “I don’t like LSU if I’m being honest,” Barker said. “I want to beat them as bad as they [her UCLA teammates] do, but probably a little more because Texas A&M and LSU was a rivalry. It’s like a rivalry game for me just reset.”
She didn’t stop there. Barker also had a fiery take on the officiating when facing LSU, taking a direct shot at Kim Mulkey in the process. “They got Kim Mulkey over there, hopefully she don’t scare all the refs tomorrow.” Well, Barker might not have to worry much about that. Officiating hasn’t been on LSU’s side lately.
Actually, the opposite. Against NC State, the Tigers battled through questionable calls and still found a way to win. But does their recent form and those two 100+ games scare Barker? Well, doesn’t seem that way. She is rather excited for this one and her confidence screams that Bruins believe this is a challenge for Lady Tigers not them.
Former A&M Aggie & current UCLA forward had a LOTTTTTTTT to say about LSU women’s basketball.
“The refs play a big part in the game as well.”
“Texas A&M & LSU is a rivalry.”
“They got Kim Mulkey over there, hopefully she doesn’t scare the refs.”
“I want to beat them as bad as… pic.twitter.com/215duXTeih
— Chessa Bouche (@chessabouche) March 30, 2025
“My teammates have a lot more energy about it than me. I mean, I played them before, but they’re like, nah, we want this game. So I’m excited to see what they do.” Well, they do remember last year’s bruising battle. “I think we all remember a lot about the game, the intensity, how physical it was, what a great matchup it was,” said UCLA’s Kiki Rice.
Last year, LSU won by forcing 19 turnovers and holding Lauren Betts to just 14 points and nine shot attempts. But back then, the Tigers had Angel Reese, patrolling the paint. Now, she has turned pro and the Bruins have used that loss as fuel. They finished as the overall No. 1 seed with just two losses, both to USC. And this time around, UCLA might just have the upper hand. The pressure is on Lady Tigers.
Betts is a different player now, fresh off back-to-back 30-point, 10-rebound performances. She’s evolved into a dominant scorer, reaching double figures in all but two games this season. For LSU, the key difference is figuring out how to contain Betts without Reese. The last time they met Chi-Town Barbie handled the 6’7” center on defense.
That job now falls to Aneesah Morrow and Sa’Myah Smith. Morrow, averaging 14 rebounds, will be crucial. And Smith is playing her best basketball at the perfect time. LSU needs both to elevate their game another notch to slow Betts down. To win, LSU has one mission: own the paint, dominate the boards, and make Betts work for every basket. If they can wear her down, their chances skyrocket.
Meanwhile, just when it seemed like LSU might have another problem on their hands, Flau’jae Johnson gave fans a sigh of relief.
Kim Mulkey’s star Flau’jae Johnson cleared for Elite 8 showdown
After leaving the NC State game with double vision following a collision, Flau’jae Johnson good to go for Sunday. “I feel good,” Big 4 said. “I think her elbow just hit me in my eye, and I couldn’t really focus my eyes. I was seeing double. So I was trying to go back in the game, and then I was like, ‘I can’t see,’ so I just sat down. But I’m good, though.”
Even with Johnson sidelined, LSU found a way to pull off the win. Now, she’s determined to bounce back. “She will bounce back just like All-Americans do,” Mulkey said. “She’s an All-American, and she struggled, and we won without her, basically, and now she wants to try to do more on the floor.”
And if you think Johnson’s worried about her last game? Think again.
She laughed and admitted that she had forgotten about it, saying that having that mentality was essential. She shared that she had prayed about it the night before and then decided to move on, realizing that in the tournament, there was no time to dwell on the previous game.
Jan 19, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; LSU Tigers guard Flau’Jae Johnson (4) gestures against the Florida Gators during the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
On the other side, UCLA coach Cori Close knows a quiet Johnson one game usually means a loud one the next. “It’s sort of scary because you don’t really see her have two off nights in a row, right?” Close said, emphasizing that UCLA’s defensive focus will be on making sure Johnson doesn’t get comfortable.
So, are you excited? There are ‘n’ number of questions. Will the Tigers slow down UCLA without Reese? Can Morrow and Smith contain Betts? And what if LSU defies the odds again? Sunday’s game will answer!
The post Walls are Closing in on LSU as UCLA Rival Takes a Direct Shot at Kim Mulkey Ahead of Elite 8 Clash appeared first on EssentiallySports.