LSU Women's Basketball Heads To Oxford For Matchup vs. Ole Miss On Thursday

BATON ROUGE, La. – The seventh-ranked LSU women’s basketball team will head to Oxford to take on the 17th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels Thursday night at the Sandy and John Black Pavilion for a nationally-televised Top 25 matchup.

The contest is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN with Beth Mowins (pxp), Debbie Antonelli (analyst) and Jess Sims (reporter) on the call. Fans can listen to the action on the LSU Sports Radio Network with Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams calling the action.

The Tigers and Rebels are facing off for the 67th time in series history with LSU leading the way, 43-23, dating back to the first matchup in 1978 where the Tigers won 84-77 on January 28. When LSU and Ole Miss last played, the Rebels secured its first victory over the Tigers since the 2014-15 season (OM won, 58-57 on 2/26/15). Following that win, LSU rattled off 12 straight victories before last season's victory by Ole Miss in the Maravich Center. When both teams play in Oxford, LSU leads the series, 17-13, and since Coach Kim Mulkey arrived, the Tigers hold the 4-1 advantage.

The 17th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels marks the eighth ranked team LSU has played this year. The Tigers are 3-4 in those instances this year. LSU has defeated two teams currently ranked in the AP poll that weren't when the Tigers played them (No. 9 Duke; 93-77; No. 24 Georgia; 80-59).

Through 26 games, LSU has averaged 95.7 points per game, which leads the nation. That mark would break the SEC record in scoring average set by Georgia in 1986 (32 games; 2,855 points, 89.2 average). The Tigers through its 26 contests has scored 2,487 points.

LSU's final four game stretch in SEC play includes two road games (Ole Miss, Mississippi State) and two home games (Missouri, Tennessee). In the current AP Top 25, two teams are ranked.

Going into the Ole Miss game, junior guard Mikaylah Williams has 1,473 career points at LSU. Needing 27 points to eclipse 1,500 points in her collegiate career, Williams would become the 17th LSU player to surpass that milestone while in Baton Rouge. This season, Williams has continued to display her pure scoring ability with 341 points (13.1 average). In other statistical categories at LSU, Williams ranks 15th in assists (318) and 6th in three-pointers made (159).

Junior MiLaysia Fulwiley ranks 1st in the SEC and 10th nationally in steals with 84. LSU's single season leader in steals, Raigyne Moncrief Louis finished the 2016-17 season with 107 steals in 32 games played. With four steals against No. 3 South Carolina, Fulwiley jumped into the all-time top-10 at LSU for steals in a season, currently ranking 9th among LSU players.

After eclipsing 1,900 points against No. 4 Texas and becoming the 7th LSU Tiger to eclipse that milestone, senior guard Flau'jae Johnson inches closer to the 2,000-point mark. With 1,900 points, Johnson joined the likes of Joyce Walker (2,906), Seimone Augustus (2,702), Julie Gross (2,488), Cornelia Gayden (2,451), Sylvia Fowles (2,234) and Khayla Pointer (1,934). Johnson is 69 points away from joining five LSU legends as 2,000-point scorers. Johnson ranks 12th among active D1 players in points scored with 1,931.

LSU leads the country in 3 statistical categories: bench points per game (39.7), rebound margin (18.5), and scoring offense (95.7).

(Release via LSU Athletics)