I’m pretty certain that in my three-plus decades as a sportswriter, I’ve never written a column in May about women’s basketball.
But the times warrant it. Certainly the women’s basketball team at LSU that just won the NCAA championship and is in hot pursuit of a second straight title warrants it.
It wasn’t enough that LSU returned the nucleus of this year’s NCAA champions built around All-American forward Angel Reese. Or that Kim Mulkey and her staff already had the nation’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class coming in, led by Bossier City Parkway guard Mikaylah Williams.
The Tigers just dipped into the transfer portal and pulled out not one, but two, prized recruits. Guard Hailey Van Lith of Louisville signed with LSU last week, and Friday forward Aneesah Morrow of DePaul signed with the Tigers. Depending on which list you use, Van Lith is the No. 1 transfer this year and Morrow is No. 2. Or vice versa.
Sportswriters’ jobs are not to hype up the teams they cover. But with this news it’s difficult not to write how this LSU program is ascending, like one of those new SLS rockets on their way to the moon.
In a shade over two calendar years since Mulkey — the real top get in the transfer portal, you’d have to say — moved from Baylor to LSU, the Tigers have gone from also-ran to champions to budding dynasty.
Even before Morrow’s decision, ESPN analyst Charlie Crème put LSU No. 1 in his updated way-too-early top 25 for 2023-24 over UConn. Expect to see the Tigers as the No. 1 overall NCAA tournament seed the next time Crème updates his bracket.
The folks in Vegas — who aren’t into emotion and sentimentality, just cash — have installed LSU as the favorite to win the 2024 NCAA title. LSU, which after Van Lith signed was Caesars’ co-favorite to win with UConn, is now the lone favorite at +300. The Huskies are second choice at +500.
In Morrow, LSU gains a relentless rebounder and prolific scorer. She averaged 25.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game last season to rank fourth and seventh, respectively, in the nation. The only other player to rank in the top 10 nationally in both categories was Reese, who was fifth in scoring with 23.0 points per game and second in rebounding with 15.4.
Morrow, who will slide into the starting spot vacated by the departed LaDazhia Williams, is 3 inches shorter than her predecessor at 6-foot-1. She’s even a bit shorter than Reese (6-3). But their combination of attacking the boards and scoring put-back baskets will be a lethal combination for LSU opponents.
Add the outside shooting of Van Lith, Williams and what should be improved play from Flau’jae Johnson in her second season, and it’s a scarcely believable abundance of riches for a program that won just nine games two seasons ago.
Of course, there is still only one ball. Mulkey has to figure out how to get all of these players to pull together and sacrifice some stats and personal glory for the good of the team.
But clearly, all of the aforementioned players could have gone anywhere. They chose to come to LSU and play for Mulkey, which puts a pin in the opinions of the folks who like to say how much they dislike her. They want the opportunity to do something special, to be part of what has the chance to be one of the greatest teams in the history of the sport.
Morrow could have been a Hollywood star at Southern California, where she visited before visiting LSU last week. She could have gone to South Carolina, the third of her three finalists, which is hardly sinking into the Atlantic but could use some star power itself after losing Aliyah Boston. But Morrow canceled her visit to South Carolina after coming to LSU.
So did Van Lith. So did Reese last year.
Again, it hardly would be accurate to write South Carolina’s epitaph, but it’s plain there is a power shift going on in the Southeastern Conference. LSU still has to beat the Gamecocks (0-2 in the regular season under Mulkey), but you can be sure doing that and winning the SEC championship are at the top of the Tigers’ to-do list.
LSU looks like it’s done in the transfer portal for this season. None of the returning Tigers have entered it yet. With the portal closing Thursday, it appears likely they will all return.
If that’s the case, the Tigers will have talent and depth. We haven’t even discussed post players such as Sa’Myah Smith or 6-5 freshman Aalyah Del Rosario, or guards such as freshman Janae Kent. The Tigers will have five players who can handle the point with returners Kateri Poole, Last-Tear Poa, Van Lith, Williams and four-star freshman Angelica Velez.
Kind of unreal how LSU women’s basketball has gone from afterthought to headlines so quickly. Doesn’t look likely to change soon, either.
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