'Not just because we're No. 1': Why LSU women's basketball stars think target on their back has grown
LAS VEGAS — Sunday's practice inside T-Mobile Arena wrapped up a much different preseason for LSU women's basketball.
And it was only fitting that the small contingency of spectators and observers were stars of the women's basketball like multi-time WNBA champion and TNT basketball analyst Candice Parker. Several sizable influencers within the media realm had Angel Reese, Flau'jae Johnson, Hailey Van Lith and most of the team appear in videos and interviews with them.
Everybody wants a piece of the Tigers, who are preseason ranked No. 1 for the first time. They tip-off the 2023-24 season against Colorado in the Hall of Fame Classic Monday night (6:30 p.m., TNT).
It's not just the big-names, influencers and fans that want to see Kim Mulkey and LSU. Her players full-on expect everybody wanting a shot at them this season, starting with Colorado in Vegas Monday.
"It's like personal for people to beat us and every game is going to be like their championship game," Johnson told The Daily Advertiser in an exclusive interview after the team's practice Sunday. "I don't think it's just because we're No. 1.
"I think it's our social media presence because what we do outside. These other things, other teams see that and I think that makes us a target. But I like a challenge. It fuels me."
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Much of the talk in the locker room leading up to LSU's opener, Johnson said has been this team hasn't completely come together yet. That won't happen until it finally gets on the floor and get game experience playing with one another.
There are questions. Defining roles, who can Mulkey count on in certain situations outside of Reese, Johnson and Kateri Poole, which players will step up on defense, all are concerns Mulkey has specifically mentioned this preseason.
"We don't even know what to expect," Johnson said. "Because we're the No. 1 team in the country, but like coach Mulkey says, we haven't played together. We don't have as much experience together on the floor. There's pieces of returning players that do.
"But it's just like figuring out who we are. How hard we're going to play defense. That's our thing, being a defense-stopping team. That's who we got to start, especially in transition."
One main factor that'll help LSU is experience under the brightest of lights.
While there's likely key contributors like freshman standout wing player Mikaylah Williams, star transfer Aneesah Morrow and freshman center Aalyah Del Rosario among others who haven't had quite the target on their back that they inherited, being big-time recruits and highly touted individual players in high school and college should likely circumvent some of that worry.
"I think that helps everybody playing on big stages like this. Like Mikaylah Williams, she hasn't played on the big stage at the college level but she was a McDonald's All-American last year. She's been on Team USA so she has some experience," Johnson said.
"I think everybody having that experience is going to be good for us so when the lights come on it doesn't shock anybody."
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: LSU women's basketball target larger 'not just because it's No. 1'
