NCAA Women's Basketball Preview: LSU Lands at #6
There is no offseason in women's basketball. As soon as the WNBA season ends, it is time for college hoops to tip off.
This upcoming season is hotly anticipated given the star power in the NCAA women's landscape. My father, Douglas Lundberg, took on a passion project of providing preseason rankings for the 2024-2025 campaign. Which I have prepared to unveil from 10-1, continuing with LSU.
6. LSU
Last year: 31-6, lost in Regional Final to Iowa 94-87
Key returnees: Flau’jae Johnson/5-10/G/Jr; Aneesah Morrow/6-1/G/Sr; Mikaylah Williams/6-0/G/So; Aalyah Del Rosario/6-6/C/So; Last-Tear Poa/5-11/G/Sr
Returning from injury: Sa’Myah Smith/6-2/F/R-So
Newcomers: Shayeann Day-Wilson/5-6/G/Sr; Kailyn Gilbert/5-8/G/Jr; Mjracle Sheppard/5-10/G/So; Jersey Wolfenbarger/6-5/F/Jr; Jada Richard/G/5-7/Fr
The case for LSU:
In returnees Flau’jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow and Mikaylah Willams the Tigers have three players who averaged around 15 ppg, so the team has plenty of firepower. And of course a multiple championship winning coach in Kim Mulkey. It only took a couple years for her to bring her title winning ways from Baylor to the Bayou.
Mulkey went to the portal for backcourt and wing depth with the additions of Day-Wilson (who was the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2022 at Duke), Kailyn Gilbert and Mjracle Sheppard. They will compete with the returning Last-Tear Poa.
Aalyah Del Rosario, at 6-6, showed improvement throughout her freshman year. She, along with 6-5 transfer from Arkansas Jersey Wolfenbarger, will provide the size inside. Sa’Myah Smith returns from a torn ACL to bring depth to the front court.
What can go wrong:
Inside scoring: Both Del Rosario and Wolfenbarger have shown promise but neither averaged close to 10 ppg.
Glut at guard: There are eight guards vying for playing time. Properly doling out minutes will require some serious coaching.
Robin Lundberg is a media veteran and hoops head who has spent the bulk of his career with iconic brands like Sports Illustrated and ESPN. His insights have also been featured on platforms such as Fox and CNN and he can currently be heard hosting shows for Sirius XM and on his burgeoning YouTube show. And now he brings his basketball expertise to Women's Fastbreak on SI!