The LSU women’s basketball team did not just win on Thursday night. They erased their opponent in a way that has never happened before in Division I history. The final score of 131-22 over Texas Southern stands as the largest margin of victory ever recorded against a Division I foe, per ESPN Research. This was not a close game that got out of hand late. It was a total dismantling from the opening tip to the final buzzer.
Jada Williams led the charge with 18 points, but the story was the sheer volume of scoring from the entire roster. Seven different players hit double figures in the final count. Freshman Anna Minaeva scored 21 points, while Mikaylah Williams added 20 more. In the second quarter alone, the team racked up 40 unanswered points while forcing nine turnovers and preventing the visitors from scoring any field goals. According to ESPN, this 50-0 run across the second and third quarters marks the largest such streak since Kim Mulkey took over as head coach in the 2021-22 season.
A Historic Blowout
The numbers from this game will likely stand for a long time. LSU improved to a perfect 7-0 all-time against Texas Southern, who fell to 0-2 on the young season. The Lady Tigers outscored their opponents 55-0 in points generated directly from turnovers. Texas Southern shot a dismal 13 percent from the field, making only 8 of 55 attempts while turning the ball over 38 times. This level of domination is rare even in college sports, where mismatches are common.
Previous records existed, but this one shatters them. The previous high for a win margin was Baylor’s 140-32 rout over Winthrop in December 2016. That Baylor team was coached by Kim Mulkey, who now leads LSU. The 109-point victory margin is a new benchmark for the sport. It shows the depth and skill of a roster that includes transfers like Williams from Iowa State and homegrown talent like Minaeva. The team has now posted back-to-back 100-plus-point games to start the season.
Reese Returns to Baton Rouge
While the court action was the main event, a special moment happened during the break. The team presented flowers to former All-American Angel Reese. Reese helped the Lady Tigers win their first national championship in 2023. This year, she claimed the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award after moving up to the professional ranks. Reese was also part of the Atlanta Dream’s first appearance in the WNBA championship series. Her presence on the sideline reminded everyone of the foundation this program built just a few years ago.
The connection between the past and present is clear. Reese set the tone for the program, and now the current squad is running with that same fire. The 40-0 shutout quarter in the second period was the second-largest of its kind since the Division I switched to quarters in 2015-16. It trails only a 44-0 quarter by Texas Southern in 2024, which ironically was a loss for the Tigers this time around. The flow of the game was so one-sided that the second half felt like an exhibition.
With a 2-0 record and a historic win under their belt, the pressure shifts to maintaining this level of play. The team has shown it can dominate weaker opponents, but the real test comes against ranked teams. The scoring depth is a major asset, with players like ZaKiyah Johnson scoring 17 and Grace Knox and MiLaysia Fulwiley contributing 15 each. This balance makes it hard for any defense to focus on just one star player.
The margin of victory was the biggest in history, but the team must prove it can win tight games too. The 131 points scored in a single game is impressive, yet the defense that held Texas Southern to 22 points is the more concerning factor for future opponents. If every team in the league can force 38 turnovers and shoot roughly 15%, the sky is the limit. For now, the Lady Tigers have made history in Baton Rouge.
