The LSU Tigers begin their march through the Madness late Saturday night, after winning it all two years ago and reaching the Elite Eight last year. Their regular season was a bit underwhelming — three losses and a few critical injuries in the final six games — but the top-line talent is still here for a deep tournament run. Flau’jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow and Mikaylah Williams are all set to play in Round 1, with LSU a sizable home favorite against San Diego State.
We’ve got a breakdown of the strengths and weaknesses on both sides of the matchup, plus odds, projections and expert picks. Team profiles written by The Athletic’s Michael Waterloo.
How to watch LSU vs. San Diego State
- What: Spokane 1 Regional, first round
- Venue: Pete Maravich Assembly Center — Baton Rouge, La.
- Time: 10:15 p.m. ET Saturday
- TV: ESPN
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
- Watching in-person? Get tickets on StubHub
Own your bracket pool with The Athletic
Projecting the bracket | Best picks to win the title | Best bracket names
No. 3 LSU
Strengths: LSU will set the tone for each of its games. It will run, run, run, averaging 77.1 possessions per 40 minutes. And if opponents aren’t tired enough from that, it’ll bring the physicality on the boards. LSU is one of the nation’s best rebounding teams — on both ends — led by Morrow’s 13.6 rebounds per game. Debate will ensue after the tournament about whether her game will translate to the WNBA, but she’s a star for LSU, averaging 18.5 points and 2.6 steals per game to go along with her high rebound numbers.
Weaknesses: It’s not that LSU struggles from behind the arc — it’s just that it gets most of its shot attempts up from 2-point range. LSU leads the nation in 2-pointers attempted and is second in 2-pointers made. If needed to rise to the occasion, will Johnson and Williams be able to step up and hit the outside shots needed?
Outlook: LSU has the experience and the championship pedigree that you look for in March, boasting big-time players with big-time experience. Despite Morrow’s ankle injury and Johnson’s lower-body injury, both will be able to play in the tournament. LSU needs them at 100 percent to reach its potential.
No. 14 San Diego State
Strengths: The Aztecs don’t thrive in any one area, but they emphasize protecting the ball and converting inside the arc. On the season, they have made more 2-pointers (647) than they have attempted 3-pointers (478).
Weaknesses: The concern with the Aztecs is how they will perform against teams that push the pace, given how slowly they play. They aren’t a bad 3-point shooting team, but it doesn’t fit their preferred style. They attempted more than 20 3s in a game four times this season, with three of those resulting in losses.
Outlook: San Diego State was a No. 4 seed in the Mountain West tournament, and it went on a nice run to take down UNLV and Wyoming — the latter in triple-overtime fashion — to win the tournament. Those two wins would be its best of the regular season, just to give an idea of its schedule.
This matchup can also be streamed on ESPN+.
LSU vs. San Diego State odds
Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Flau’jae Johnson: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
