LSU
BATON ROUGE, La. (11/04/2026) — LSU's women's basketball team opened the 2026 season with a commanding 131-22 victory over Texas Southern at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Wednesday, as four Tigers reached double figures in front of 9,591 fans.
How It Happened
The game's opening minutes offered a brief stretch of competitive basketball. Bailey Burns connected on a 26-foot three-pointer, assisted by DeAvion Wilson, to put Texas Southern ahead 3-2 less than a minute in. Jayla Cornelius followed with her own 26-footer off another Wilson assist to push the advantage to 6-5 at the 8:42 mark — the last time Texas Southern held the lead.
LSU responded immediately. MiLaysia Fulwiley retook the advantage with a 14-foot jumper, then Mikaylah Williams buried a 24-foot three-pointer — assisted by Jada Williams — to extend the margin to 10-6. By the end of the first quarter, Louisiana State had widened the gap to 25-13.
The second quarter is where the contest was settled. Jada Williams delivered three consecutive three-pointers in the period, each set up by Fulwiley: a 25-footer at the 8:17 mark, a 23-footer at 5:37, and another 25-footer at 2:56. Fulwiley added her own 25-foot three at the 6:44 mark, and Mikaylah Williams closed the half with a buzzer-beating 26-footer to push the LSU lead to 65-13 at halftime.
The third quarter saw LSU extend to 95-16, capped by Laila Reynolds' 8-foot jumper at the final buzzer. Anna Minaeva opened the fourth with a free throw, and the Tigers kept the pressure on through the final minutes — culminating in Chloe Larry's tip-in layup with 12 seconds remaining to set the final at 131-22.
Turning Point
The game turned decisively during LSU's 50-0 run spanning the first and second quarters — a stretch that pushed the score from 27-13 to 75-16. Texas Southern, which shot 15% from the field and committed 38 turnovers on the night, could not generate sustained offensive momentum against LSU's defense. Once that run reached full speed, with Jada Williams hitting from distance and Fulwiley creating both for herself and teammates, any realistic path back for the Tigers closed entirely.
Star of the Game
Anna Minaeva paced all scorers with 21 points, seven rebounds, and three assists — a well-rounded performance that reflected LSU's balanced approach throughout. Mikaylah Williams was equally impactful, posting 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists, including the first-half-closing three-pointer that sent the crowd into the break with energy. Jada Williams contributed 18 points and a game-high seven assists, showcasing the playmaking ability that drove LSU's offensive rhythm. ZaKiyah Johnson rounded out the double-figure contributors with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Collectively, LSU shot 60% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc, drilling 15 three-pointers. The Tigers also dominated the glass, out-rebounding Texas Southern 61-26, and took care of the basketball with just nine turnovers against 36 assists.
What It Means
For LSU, the season-opening performance establishes both depth and cohesion. The 36-assist, nine-turnover ratio reflects a team that shares the ball efficiently, while four players reaching double figures signals the kind of balanced attack that becomes difficult to defend over a long season. The Pete Maravich Assembly Center crowd saw an LSU squad operating at a high level from the opening tip.
For Texas Southern, Wednesday's road trip provides valuable early-season experience against one of the SEC's premier programs. Cornelius led the Tigers with six points and five rebounds, and the team showed confidence in taking the early lead before the gap in efficiency and depth became decisive. Texas Southern returns to its schedule with competitive lessons from one of college basketball's demanding environments.
