Flau'Jae Johnson injury update: Kim Mulkey makes major change to LSU guard's status ahead of NCAA Tournament

LSU’s Flau’Jae Johnson has been out for multiple games coming out of the regular season and into the postseason. The Tigers’ guard, though, will now officially be back for the Women’s NCAA Tournament.

Per Kim Mulkey on Friday, Johnson will be available for their first-round matchup in the bracket this weekend down in Baton Rouge. That’ll be between No. 3 LSU and No. 14 San Diego State on Saturday inside the PMAC.

Kim Mulkey on Flau'Jae:

"She still has those memories and wants to do that every single year. That's great motivation. She's healthy, i don't know why they wear those boots, but I think they got used to it. Flau'Jae is ready to go."

— Matthew Brune (@MatthewBrune_) March 21, 2025

“She still has those memories and wants to do that every single year. That’s great motivation. She’s healthy – I don’t know why they wear those boots but I think they got used to it,” Mulkey said to the media on Friday. “Flau’Jae is ready to go.”

Johnson, who has been dealing with shin splints, missed the last game of the regular season and two games in the SEC Tournament. The Tigers lost two of those outings in her absence in the finale against Ole Miss as well as in the conference semifinals in Greenville.

Johnson, in appearing in 30 games as a junior, is averaging a career-best in scoring at 18.9 points (46.5% FG, 37.2% 3PT) along with 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 steals. That has her as the leading scorer while being top three in rebounds, assists, and steals for LSU. It also earned her a spot on the All-SEC First Team and has her in contention, along with a teammate in Aneesah Morrow, on the final ballot for the Wooden Award.

The expectation was that Johnson would be back in time for the NCAA Tournament. She now officially will be for the start of their run tomorrow night against the Aztecs in the Baton Rouge Regional.

2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Field

The 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament was revealed on Selection Sunday with action in the bracket tipping off today. With that, here’s the full field for this edition of March Madness:

Region 1 – Spokane

Los Angeles
No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 16 UC San Diego/Southern
No. 8 Richmond vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech
Waco
No. 5 Ole Miss vs. No. 12 Ball State
No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 13 Grand Canyon
Baton Rouge
No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 11 George Mason
No. 3 LSU vs. No. 14 San Diego State
Raleigh
No. 7 Michigan State vs. No. 10 Harvard
No. 2 NC State vs. No. 15 Vermont

Region 2 – Birmingham

Columbia
No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 16 Tennessee Tech
No. 8 Utah vs. No. 9 Indiana
College Park
No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 12 Wisconsin-Green Bay
No. 4 Maryland vs. No. 13 Norfolk State
Chapel Hill
No. 6 West Virginia vs. No. 11 Columbia/Washington
No. 3 North Carolina vs. No. 14 Oregon State
Durham
No. 7 Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 Oregon
No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh

Region 3 – Birmingham

Austin
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 High Point/William & Mary
No. 8 Illinois vs. No. 9 Creighton
Columbus
No. 5 Tennessee vs. No. 12 USF
No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 13 Montana State
Notre Dame
No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 11 Iowa State/Princeton
No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 14 Stephen F. Austin
Fort Worth
No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 10 Nebraska
No. 2 TCU vs. No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson

Region 4 – Spokane

Los Angeles
No. 1 USC vs. No. 16 UNC Greensboro
No. 8 Cal vs. No. 9 Mississippi State
Lexington
No. 5 Kansas State vs. No. 12 Fairfield
No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 13 Liberty
Norman
No. 6 Iowa vs. No. 11 Murray State
No. 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast
Storrs
No. 7 Oklahoma State vs. No. 10 South Dakota State
No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Arkansas State