Just a note From the Advocate Sports Desk LSU's Kim Mulkey LSU coach Kim Mulkey is looking for defensive improvement, but not necessarily upticks on the scoreboard or stat sheet, heading into the Tigers' second game of the season. Mulkey is focused on how her team is learning to play defense and wants to see improvement when the Tigers take on Mississippi Valley State at 7 p.m. Friday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Two days later, the Tigers make their first TV appearance while hosting Western Carolina at 3 p.m. on the SEC Network. “I’m going to always nitpick,” said Mulkey, talking about the 125-50 victory against Bellarmine in the season opener Monday. “We’ve got to continue to get better defensively. I’m not looking at the score. I’m looking at individual players, from stopping (opponents) from penetrating with the ball in their hands, talking on defense. A couple of times in transition we didn’t pick up people. “You can’t stop on the defensive end. Every day, we’ve got to get better.” LSU held Bellarmine to 26.3% shooting (15 of 57) and forced 31 turnovers. Offensively, the Tigers got strong play from their front line. Transfer Angel Reese and freshman Sa’Myah Smith each had a double-double, with Reese scoring a career-high 31 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in 21 minutes. Smith had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Mulkey said she would like to see a better assist-to-turnover ratio, and she initially didn’t like the 13 missed free throws until realizing LSU shot 77% from the line (44 of 57). “I wanted to gripe about the free throws we missed, and then y’all informed me we shot 77%,” she said. “But 13 free throws missed is a lot. You’re not normally going to shoot that many.” LSU is likely to start Reese, LaDazhia Williams, Alexis Morris, Jasmine Carson and Flau’jae Johnson on Friday, although Mulkey has said her improved depth gives her more options. Mulkey said Alisa Williams, who did not play Monday because of a hip flexor injury, practiced this week and is questionable. “I’ve got 8-9 in the rotation and it doesn’t matter who starts,” Mulkey said. “The three main people are going to be Angel Reese, Alexis Morris and LaDazhia (Williams). They have the most experience and a lot of talent. You’ve got youth around them, and transfers. You just want to play, get relevant minutes.” After Mississippi Valley and Western Carolina, LSU plays host to Houston Baptist on Wednesday at 11 a.m. in the annual field trip game. The Tigers face a Delta Devils team that is 0-1 after a 105-47 loss at Mississippi State. Former Dutchtown and Southern forward Zaria Harleaux led the Devilettes with 12 points and had four rebounds. Krisen (cq) Hunt had seven rebounds. “We’ll make sure we’re prepared for a 1-2-2 defense, a 1-3-1, all kinds of zones,” Mulkey said. “For tomorrow and Sunday, it’s about us. No matter what we see on film or how much we show them, it’s about us right now. What we do every day. "I may not even think about the last game because I need to think about things for the future. It’s always going to start on the defensive end.”
