Saturday night marked the final non-conference game for Kim Mulkey’s Tigers and the team’s final game of 2023. It was the last chance the team could touch up any flaws before Southeastern Conference play.
But against Jacksonville, there were a lot of 3-pointers and a lot of foul shots, but not many flaws. 
The Tigers came away with a 110-68 win to cap off non-conference play.
As a team, the Tigers shot eight for 16 from behind the 3-point line.
Flau’jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow each scored 20 points for the Tigers. Johnson made two 3-pointers, added five rebounds and three assists. She also shot eight for eight from the foul line.
Saturday marks Morrow’s eight double-double performance in a row, and her ninth on the season. She grabbed 10 rebounds, and shot eight for 10 from the foul line.
Mikaylah Williams knocked down two 3-pointers and finished with 17 points. She added three rebounds and four assists.
Hailey Van Lith scored three of the team’s eight 3-pointers, as she came back to action on Saturday after a four-game absence due to planter’s fasciitis. She finished with 11 points along with five assists. She shot three for four from behind the 3-point line.
The Tigers also benefitted greatly at the foul line, as Jacksonville finished the game with 39 fouls as a team. LSU shot a total of 52 foul shots and made 40.
Angel Reese found herself at the foul line more than any player on the team. Of her 17 points, 11 came at the foul line, where she shot 11 for 14. Reese also grabbed a team-high 20 rebounds.
The one flaw LSU had was its 23 turnovers in the game. The players who had the most turnovers might not be who Tiger fans would expect, Reese, Morrow, and Van Lith, who each had five turnovers.
For Jacksonville, Edyn Battle led the team with 17 points along with two rebounds and two assists. Asiana Britt added 11 points.
Beyond turnovers, the Tigers have moved up leaps and bounds from where they started in their season opener against Colorado. 
Against Colorado, the team lacked identity. And with few returners, true freshmen and transfer players, that was somewhat expected. As the season progressed, players started to find their roles more, and what type of team they’d be. 
Unfortunately, in that process, the team lost Sa’Myah Smith due to a season-ending leg injury. In the team’s first seven games, Smith averaged 11.7 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game. She also shot 66% from the field.
But what type of team they’d be can vary from game to game; there have been games where Reese and Morrow are a dynamic duo in the paint, and there have been games where Mikaylah Williams and Flau’jae Johnson knock down several 3-pointers each.
With that being said, that trait with this team can serve well in SEC play. Their ability to easily adapt and win games in several ways can be a difference-maker at times throughout the rest of the season, especially in conference play.
The Tigers will start conference play on Thursday, Jan. 4, at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center against Missouri. That game will tip-off at 8 p.m. C.T. and will be televised on the SEC Network.