BATON ROUGE, La. — Flau’jae Johnson delivered an impressive performance with 25 points as the No. 7 ranked LSU women’s basketball team decisively defeated Eastern Kentucky 95-44 on Monday evening, marking the season opener for both squads.

Aneesah Morrow contributed significantly with 20 points and nine rebounds for LSU (1-0), who dominated the game from the first half, leading 48-24 at halftime. Mikaylah Williams added 18 points after recovering from a couple of preseason games sidelined due to a sprained ankle.

Sa’Myah Smith made a notable comeback after missing most of last season due to a knee injury, scoring 15 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and recording three blocked shots.

For Eastern Kentucky (0-1), Liz Freihofer, Alice Recanati, and Kaitly Costner each scored nine points.

In terms of performance, Eastern Kentucky struggled to find their rhythm throughout the game. They managed to hit two consecutive shots on three occasions but never maintained that momentum.

On the other hand, LSU displayed a steady start, despite being without three players—two due to injuries and one for personal reasons. They successfully integrated four newcomers into their lineup.

A pivotal moment in the game came when LSU’s Johnson turned the tide during a slow start. She scored nine points during a 14-2 run, helping the Tigers establish a commanding 21-8 lead.

A key statistic from the match showed that Eastern Kentucky struggled offensively, finishing the game 18 of 69 from the field, including a dismal 6-for-31 from beyond the arc.

Looking ahead, LSU will host Northwestern (La.) State on Friday night, continuing their stretch of six consecutive home games to begin the season. Meanwhile, Eastern Kentucky will take on Tennessee State at home on the same night.