LSU NCAA Tournament Injury Update: Flau'jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow

The LSU Tiger and head coach Kim Mulkey are a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth season in a row, the NCAA Selection Committee announced on Sunday evening.

In the first round, LSU faces No. 14 seed San Diego State, a program that finished 25-9 on the season.

With a win, the Tigers will face the winner of No. 6 seed Florida State (23-8) and No. 11 George Mason (27-5) in the second round for the chance to return to the Sweet 16.

Will LSU have two of the team’s best players available after battling through injuries?

On Sunday evening, Mulkey met with the local media and shared the news fans had been hoping for.

Both Johnson and Morrow will be available and in the starting five when the Tigers take on San Diego State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

“Good to go … good to go,” Mulkey said.

Morrow leads the country with 13.6 rebounds per game and has the most double-doubles (27) of any women’s player in the NCAA this season. Morrow averages 18.5 points per game and has 15 20-point games this year.

Johnson is LSU’s leading scorer this season with 18.9 points per game, and she has five double-doubles and four games with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists (one of three LSU players with multiple 25-5-5 games in a season over the past 25 years.)

Johnson, who did not play in the SEC Tournament as she rested from injury, and Morrow, who was injured in the SEC Tournament’s semifinal loss to Texas, were both still in walking boots during Sunday evening’s LSU bracket reveal “Watch Party” at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

“(They) are in a boot, I don’t know why they are still in it, but I guess they keep them in it,” Mulkey said.

LSU will play in the Spokane Regional, which features No. 1 seed UCLA (30-2) and No. 2 seed North Carolina State (26-6). The Bruins are the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s tournament.

LSU will host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. The Tigers were a No. 3 seed for each of the first three seasons of Mulkey’s time at LSU, which includes a National Championship win – the first basketball NCAA National Championship in program history.

Johnson, Morrow named as finalists for the Wooden Ward

As LSU stars Flau’Jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow recover and prepare for the NCAA Tournament in a couple weeks, the tandem was named to the Wooden Award Top 15 National Ballot, announced Sunday by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Last week, both Johnson and Morrow were First Team All-SEC Selections along with sophomore Mikaylah Williams.

The Tigers reached the semifinals of the SEC Tournament, but fell to Texas by seven. Johnson missed the SEC Tournament while she gets healthy for the NCAA Tournament. Morrow reaggravated a foot injury early in the second half against the Longhorns; she will be back for the NCAA Tournament. Williams battled foul trouble in the second half against Texas.

Morrow has been dominant for the Tigers. She leads the country in rebounding (13.6 rpg) and double-doubles (27). Morrow scores 18.5 points per game and has 15 20-point games. She has four 20-rebound games, including two 20/20 games. Morrow has eight games with 20 points and 15 rebounds. She stayed active on the defensive end with over 2.5 steals per game.

The senior is leaving her name in the record books. She reached career milestones of 2,500 points and 1,500 career points this season and is one of eight players in NCAA DI history to reach both marks. She became one of two players in NCAA DI history to secure 100 career double-doubles. Morrow currently ranks No. 4 in NCAA DI history for all-time rebounds.

Morrow had a monster game in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals against Florida, helping LSU score a SEC Tournament program record 101 points. Her 37 points were the most ever by a LSU player in the SEC Tournament and her 14 rebounds were the fifth most.

Johnson has continued to up her game from 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year to 2024 Second Team All-SEC to 2025 First Team All-SEC. She is LSU’s leading scorer this season with 18.9 points per game. After finishing the season last year with three straight 20-point games in the NCAA Tournament, Johnson started this season with at least 20 points in five of LSU’s first six games and has 15 total games with 20+ points this season.

Johnson has five double-doubles this season and has four games with 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists (one of three LSU players with multiple 25-5-5 games in a season over the past 25 years.) Defensively, Johnson has constantly been tasked with guarding the opposing team’s top perimeter player. In LSU’s win over Mississippi State, Johnson tied her career-high with 4 blocks.