No. 6 LSU Opens SEC Play Thursday at Arkansas – LSU

FAYATEVILLE, Ark. – No. 6 LSU (15-0) begins Southeastern Conference play against Arkansas (7-8) on Thursday at 8pm CT at Bud Walton Arena on the SEC Network.

“Arkansas has the leading scorer in the SEC,” coach Kim Mulkey said. “Every time you play somebody in the SEC, it’s going to be a dogfight. If you keep fighting and you win enough of those dogfights, you’re going to be in a good position.”

In all three of Kim Mulkey’s first season leading LSU, the Tigers have been No. 2 of SEC. This is the deepest the SEC has been in recent memory, currently with eight teams ranked in the AP Poll, including 4 in the top-10; no. 2 South Carolina, no. 5 Texas, no. 6 LSU and no. 9 Oklahoma.

“The SEC is different this year with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma,” Coach Mulkey said. “Both of those programs are respected in women’s basketball and everywhere in all sports. We’ve made things a lot more difficult, and I think that’s a good thing for women’s basketball and the SEC.”

Brenda VanLengen and Anne O’Neil will call the action on the SEC Network. Fans can also listen to Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams on the LSU Sports Radio Network.

LSU is currently off to its second-best start in program history. The 2002-03 team also started its season 15-0 and made a run to the Elite Eight. The 2022-23 team, which also opened SEC play on the road at Arkansas, posted the best start in program history at 23-0 before claiming LSU’s first national championship.

Arkansas was the only SEC team to finish non-conference play with a losing record. Izzy Higginbottom has been the Razorbacks’ most consistent scorer. She leads the SEC in scoring at 23.6 points per game. game, including a 38-point outing against Boston College in early December. The Arkansas guard does most of her damage inside the three-point line. Kiki Smith is the only other Arkansas player averaging 11.7 points per game.

The Tigers entering the game are one of the nation’s best rebounding teams. LSU ranks no. 2 in the country with 50.3 rebounds per game and no. 3 with a +17.6 rebound margin. Aneesah Morrow has helped that cause for the Tigers as the nation’s leading rebounder with 14.3 rebounds per game. Arkansas has the worst rebounding margin in the conference at -4.5.

Morrow has been critical to LSU’s start to the season. In addition to her rebounding, she has also scored 18.4 points per game (6th^th in the SEC) and is the only player in the country this season with at least 250 points and 200 rebounds. She leads the nation with 13 double-doubles. With 87 career double-doubles, her next would tie her for fourth most in NCAA DI history.

Morrow isn’t the only Tiger to rank at the top of the SEC stats. Flau’Jae Jonson’s 20.5 points per match ranks as no. 4 in the SEC and no. 15 at national level. She has scored 20+ points in nine games this season and is the only SEC guard with multiple 20+ point double-doubles. Mikaylah Williams ranks no. 10 in the SEC with 16.5 points per game. match.

Jersey Wolfenbarger has started four straight games for LSU. She is in her first season at LSU after transferring from Arkansas as she returns to her home state. The Fort Smith, Arkansas native is averaging 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. She had career highs with 19 points and 15 rebounds against Louisiana-Lafayette.