In Baton Rouge, La., it has been announced that LSU’s junior guard, Flau’Jae Johnson, will not participate in the upcoming SEC tournament due to inflammation in her right shin. Johnson, who is a first-team All-Southeastern Conference honoree for No. 7 ranked LSU, missed Sunday’s final regular-season match where Ole Miss claimed victory with an 85-77 score.
Head coach Kim Mulkey clarified the decision following the game, stating, “I sat Flau’Jae,” and emphasized that neither the doctor nor the trainer mandated her to remain benched. LSU, with a record of 27-4, secured a double bye and enters the SEC tournament as the third seed. The tournament is set to commence this Wednesday in Greenville, South Carolina.
Mulkey expressed confidence that the extra rest could facilitate Johnson’s recovery to nearly optimal condition before the NCAA Tournament, which is scheduled to begin on March 19. “I feel like no matter what happens there, we’ve earned the right to host here,” Mulkey remarked, underscoring the importance of Johnson’s health over the team’s seeding, whether it ends up being a two, three, or four seed. “Rest is the best thing for it. I have a lot of confidence that she’ll be ready to go.”
The timeline of Johnson’s ailment traces back to LSU’s visit to Texas on February 18, where the team faced a 65-58 defeat. Despite this, she remained a part of the starting lineup, consistently playing at least 31 minutes in the subsequent four games. Her most challenging performance arose during an 88-85 overtime loss at Alabama last Thursday, where she managed just 2 of 12 from the field, scoring a season-low six points.
Mulkey further stated, “I don’t feel like anything we do in the conference tournament, even if we lost both games, will affect us hosting here. We have a great body of work and Flau’Jae will be back.” The team is focused on maintaining their strong performance, ensuring Johnson is ready for the NCAA challenge ahead.
