All Mikaylah Williams had to do was see a shot go in.
It only takes one for Williams to know that she’s found her shot, and that there will be more to come. That was deemed true once again Monday night, as she led LSU with 28 points on 10-of-12 shooting, 3-of-3 from behind the arc and 5-of-5 from the foul line.
“Once the first one goes in, it’s going to be a really good game,” Williams said. “I just wanted to be consistent and play an effective 40 minutes, and I think that’s what I did.”
Williams knew when that first shot was going to come, and she knew who she was going to get the ball from.
Shayeann Day-Wilson looked to make the extra pass to Williams, and once Williams got the ball, she knew exactly what she was set to do next.
“I knew when I got it I was going to let it fly,” Williams said. “I feel like once we hit that three, it was up from there.”
When any of Williams’ three 3-pointers fell, she always embraced the PMAC crowd, often with a celebration.
Monday night was a game that her younger self dreamed of playing in. Not only did she always want to play in an atmosphere like the PMAC provided Monday night, but she always wants to be in the kinds of situations she was in against Florida State.
She wanted the ball and she wanted to make that big shot.
“That’s something you dream of as a little kid, making that shot and the crowd goes wild,” Williams said. “Just taking it in, soaking it in.”
It all boils down to preparation for Williams to consistently knock down clutch shots in clutch situations. But she also recognizes that her teammates trust her to be in those moments.
However, performing on the big stage in an LSU jersey means that much more to Williams.
Being from Bossier City, Louisiana, she feels that she’s representing her state, and a school she’s always wanted to play for growing up.
But to Williams, it’s not about her.
“I think my legacy is being that role model for the little kids coming up in sports,” Williams said. “Just showing them that the big stage is possible, you can make it to the big stage.”
Williams and her LSU team aren’t stepping off the big stage any time soon, as they are set to play in the Sweet 16 on Friday in Spokane, Washington. The Tigers will take on No. 2 seed NC State.
To Williams, playing in the Sweet 16 is what she and her team have worked for all season. But it’s also another chance to play more basketball, and another chance to make that first shot.
