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The LSU Lady Tigers failed to defend their national title despite a star-studded lineup led by Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith. They had a brilliant start to the season, winning 16 of their first 17 games.
During the streak, LSU lost dependable forward Sa'Myah Smith on its seventh game due to a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus in her right knee. The Lady Tigers were able to adjust to the loss of Smith as coach Kim Mulkey used four guards — Van Lith, Aneesah Morrow, Flau'jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams — to go along with Reese in the main rotation and it worked for the team.
However, when facing stronger and bigger teams like Auburn and South Carolina, they could not hide the lack of depth in the forward and center spots as it became their weakness moving forward. They finished the regular season with a 26-4 record and were ranked second in the SEC Tournament.
The Lady Tigers gained revenge against Auburn in the quarterfinals, winning by 30 points, then outclassed Ole Miss in the semis to meet South Carolina in the tournament final. However, LSU fell short, succumbing to a 79-72 defeat in a game marred by a brawl in the middle of the game that saw players ejected.
LSU remained in the hunt for the NCAA title despite the defeat in the NCAA Tournament as they were ranked third in the Albany Regional 2. They beat Rice, Middle Tennessee and UCLA in the first round, second round and Sweet 16, respectively to arrange an Elite Eight clash with the Caitlin Clark-led Iowa in a rematch of last year's final.
Unfortunately for the Lady Tigers, they weren't able to repeat the outcome of the 2022-23 final as the Hawkeyes exacted revenge with a 94-87 win. Days after the Elite Eight ouster, Reese declared for the WNBA Draft and Van Lith entered the transfer portal a year after she came from Louisville. Incoming sophomores Janae Kent and Angelica Velez followed Van Lith's lead and also entered the portal, and so did dismissed guard Kateri Poole.
With the sudden departures of key stars and reliable bench players, the 2024-25 season now rests on the shoulders of returnees Flau'jae Johnson, Last-Tear Poa, Mikaylah Williams, Aneesah Morrow and Sa'Myah Smith.
Let's take a look at the top five remaining LSU players and how they can contribute to the team's success in the 2024-25 season.
Top 5 LSU returnees for 2024-25 NCAA season
#5 Sa'Myah Smith
The 6'2" Smith was having a great season, helping Angel Reese in the frontcourt. She was averaging 11.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in the team's first seven games until she tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus on her right knee that required surgery. That ruled her out for the remainder of the season. This affected LSU's chances of chasing its second-straight title as Reese lost a dependable frontcourt partner.
Smith is bound for a big return next season as she will fill up the loss of Reese in the forward slot. Her defensive prowess could help clog the lane for LSU and make rival schools think twice about slashing through the basket.
# 4 Last-Tear Poa
Poa is well remembered for her return to the lineup weeks after she was knocked unconscious in the middle of LSU's game against Ole Miss. Despite the incident, she played for 36 games in her sophomore year and was a dependable off-the-bench contributor for the Lady Tigers.
She averaged 4.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.1 spg while playing for 20.1 minutes for LSU. Poa hopes to return strong for the Kim Mulkey-coached squad as she is expected to have a bigger role as a playmaker next season.
Also Read: Angel Reese's BF Cam'Ron Fletcher confirms breakup with LSU star, deletes story minutes later
#3 Mikaylah Williams
Williams will return next season for LSU after a splendid freshman stint that handed her the SEC Freshman of the Year award. The six-foot guard played 34 games and tallied 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per contest.
Williams is expected to be one of the top contributors for the Lady Tigers next season as Reese and Van Lith are not returning. She will team up with Flau'jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow in forming a fearsome trio that will help LSU in its bid to win another title in the 2024-25 season.
#2 Aneesah Morrow
Morrow was the team's No. 2 scorer and rebounder as she averaged 16.4 ppg and 10.0 rpg. She was also the team's top swiper with 2.5 steals per contest. She was the most consistent producer for the team aside from Reese last season and she is expected to continue that run next season.
Kim Mulkey will rely mainly on the 6'1" Morrow on offense and she is expected to do everything next season as Reese and Van Lith departed after the season ended.
#1 Flau'jae Johnson
Johnson is expected to be the team's heart and soul next season. The 5-foot-10 guard was the team's energy player all season and provided the needed stats for the team to win. Last season, she tallied 14.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
Johnson is expected to carry a bigger role next year due to the departure of their senior players. She needs to improve her outside shooting to remain one of the Lady Tigers' dependable players next season.
Read More: Top 10 LSU women's college basketball players of all-time ft. Angel Reese
Will the Lady Tigers bounce back next season despite the departures of Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith. Let's know your opinions in the comments section.
