LSU Women’s Basketball Triumphs Over Houston Christian in Season Opener

BATON ROUGE, La. – The fifth-ranked LSU women’s basketball team kicked off its 2025-26 season with a commanding 108-55 victory over Houston Christian on Tuesday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Freshman guard ZaKiyah Johnson made a splash with her first collegiate double-double, scoring 11 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

LSU’s win improves its record to 1-0, while HCU falls to 0-1. The Tigers will face in-state rival Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT, broadcast live on SEC Network +.

MiLaysia Fulwiley, a junior transfer from South Carolina, led all scorers with 21 points, demonstrating her offensive prowess off the bench. Fulwiley also contributed four rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and a team-high seven steals in the game. “I’m very careful about how I use that with MiLaysia because her skill level and her talent is better than just a spark plug,” said LSU Head Coach Kim Mulkey.

In addition to Fulwiley and Johnson, several other Tigers joined the scoring frenzy. Mikaylah Williams scored 14 points, while Flau’jae Johnson added 12, and freshman Grace Knox chipped in 10 points. LSU shot 42-of-79 (53.2%) from the floor and 17-of-23 (73.9%) from the free-throw line, dominating Houston Christian throughout the game.

The Tigers’ defense was just as impressive, forcing 33 turnovers and tallying 23 steals. “Defensively, I think our mindset is just stopping the ball, guarding our men,” Fulwiley explained. “Just build pressure when you’re on the ball.”

LSU started fast, taking an 18-7 lead by the first media timeout. By the end of the first quarter, the Tigers led 26-13. Their offensive and defensive strategies tightened as the game continued, leading them to a 53-27 advantage at halftime.

In the second half, Fulwiley began with a layup that ignited an offensive surge, as LSU outscored HCU by 16 points in the third quarter. The Tigers maintained their momentum and increased their lead, ending the game with a final score of 108-55.

“Watching us play tonight, I saw seniors on my team that realized this is the beginning of the end for their career in college,” Mulkey reflected. “You want them to understand you can’t go back and get this game.”