OnAll in all even with the laundry list of issues. Its still a top 10 team in the country and ironically doing better than last years team in a STRONGER SEC conference this season. Last years team lost to unranked Auburn and Miss St while also getting run out the gym vs Colorado. This years team is not near as talented and only have losses on the road to SC/TX while having way less than and players to work with.
They will have to hit the portal hard for bigs and a AVERAGE at the least PG who can at least handle the ball. The HS class coming in is outstanding. If at least 2-3 don't come out of it as outstanding players, something is wrong
This is an interesting take. In general this board likes to pick on Mulkey. If you are the LSU Prez, AD and head booster, however, she is a great coaching hire!
They already have their natty! Mulkey keeps them newsworthy and relevant in top 3 of SEC and top 10 nationally, and they will at least be in the elite 8 again at ncaa this year. They sellout the Maravich center at home, and are a big draw on SEC/ESPN with 3 All-americans!
Personally, I think this is her best team. Reese/Morrow and Hailey Van Lith/Flaujae were duplicate players often getting in each others way. Now Morrow and FJ have perfect spacing, and Mikaylah Williams, as third star is complementary fit with these two!
Historically, teams with just 1 star: Clark, Plum, JuJu and a decent rotation could make a final 4. Teams with 2 stars do it regularly: Kitley/Amoore, Bueckers/Edwards, and 3 stars plus 2 role players is actually a very good team. Only in the year 2025 with newfangled 5 star player teams like UCLA, USC, SC, ND and UConn would '25 LSU end up a #2 seed.
The triad of Morrow, FJ and Williams holds up with any other trio among the big 7. Mulkey knows she has challenges at 5 and 1. She has been platooning Poa/Day-Wilson at 1 and Smith/Wolfenbarger at 5.
She also has an effective small ball lineup with Gilbert in at guard and Williams moving into front court with Morrow.
The solutions at 1&5 are not perfect, but they don't have to be with all-americans at 2, 3 &5! So far they have only lost to TX and SC on the road.
If you watch their games and player press, you'll note all the kids are happy, play with joy, and are bought in to the '25 plan. 1&5 keep improving, there is now even some depth behind with Richard and DelRosario. I'm eager to see how they play in SEC tourney rematch with TX or SC, and I don't want them to be my elite 8 opponent.
Next year. They really only lose Morrow. Strong class coming in. Could use finally, perfect transfers at 1 or 4/5. If that doesn't happen, look for Williams to move to #4. She is very underrated (for #2 in her class behind JuJu), able to play and defend 1-5, and would be an amazing stretch 4 similar to Sarah Strong.
Could be a line up of 1-Richard, 2-Gilbert 3-FJ 4-Williams 5-Smith/Wolfenbarger with incoming Freshmen/transfers pushing to start.
Again not perfect, but experienced, 2 all-americans and ready to enter the SEC schedule unbeaten after another soft OOC schedule. If 'Tennesee Gilbert' becomes the norm and Richard steps up, the refangled team can again be very good.
