No. 7 LSU’s leading scorer Flau’Jae Johnson will miss the SEC Tournament due to shin inflammation, coach Kim Mulkey revealed during the pregame radio show ahead of the Tigers’ 85-77 loss to Ole Miss on Sunday. Johnson is expected to return for the NCAA Tournament.
Mulkey explained postgame that she was the one who made the decision to sit Johnson, not the doctors or trainers. She did so because even though it could cost LSU some games with the Tigers already locked in the No. 3 seed in the SEC Tournament.
“When your shins are hurting you — it’s like your feet and your back, when they are hurting you cannot mentally perform,” Mulkey said. “I don’t care how tough you are, how much pain tolerance you have — it affects you. She has tried her hardest and put her heart out there. I just decided after Alabama, we are a No. 3 seed no matter if we win another ball game, so why not do it now?
“That decision was made by me knowing that we were going to miss 19 points a game and all her rebounding and her defensive stuff. But that’s OK. Win or lose, you are still a No. 3 seed. The conference tournament part of it, I feel like no matter what happens there, we’ve earned the right to host here. So whether we are a No. 2 seed, No. 3 seed, No. 4 seed, the most important thing is to get her healthy before the NCAA Tournament begins.”
Sunday’s result was LSU’s fourth loss in SEC play, the most conference losses for the Tigers in a single season under Mulkey. It was also just the second loss for LSU in the last 54 home games.
Johnson was wearing a walking boot while the rest of her team warmed up to face the Rebels.
Johnson has been dealing with the issue since mid-February and was even questionable ahead of the Texas game on Feb. 16. However, Sunday was the first game she has missed all season.
The junior guard had registered 37 consecutive double-digit scoring games, but that streak snapped Thursday in LSU’s 88-85 overtime loss to No. 20 Alabama. She finished that game with just six points on 2 of 12 from the field.
That was not her best game, but Johnson has been a key piece for the Tigers as she leads the team with 18.9 points per game while shooting 46.5% from the field. Her confidence has also helped energize LSU during key matchups, and she is doing it all while balancing a rapping career and business endeavors.
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Without Johnson, LSU was led by Aneesah Morrow and her 28 points and 12 rebounds — her 100th career double-double. Mikaylah Williams was another top contributor with 25 points.
Scoring wasn’t the biggest problem for the Tigers, but rather it was taking care of the ball. LSU allowed Ole Miss 27 points off 23 turnovers.
“You can’t win anything in sports turning the ball over,” Mulkey said.
LSU is now 27-4 and 12-4 in conference play. The SEC Tournament begins Wednesday in Greenville, S.C.
