The reigning national champion LSU Tigers were the talk of the offseason after a summer that spurred predictions they’d become women’s basketball’s next superteam. Coach Kim Mulkey brought in two star players from the transfer portal — Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow — to join forces with Final Four Most Outstanding Player Angel Reese and a top-ranked recruiting class, earning the Tigers the preseason No. 1 ranking.
But the early goings in Baton Rouge have featured mixed results. LSU became the first national champion to drop its season opener since 1995, losing to then-No. 20 Colorado 92-78 on the first day of the 2023-24 season. The Tigers have produced 100-plus points and won by at least 30 in each game since — against Queens, Mississippi Valley State and Kent State — but their deficiencies more than their dominance have been the story.
They led by just two at halftime Tuesday against Kent State, which hasn’t played in the NCAA tournament in over 20 years, and even…
