All five true freshmen saw the court and scored in LSU women’s basketball’s 108-55 victory over Houston Christian on Tuesday to open the 2025-26 season.
Expectations were high for the 2025 signing class coming to Baton Rouge. The group ranked No. 1 nationally in the cycle with multiple players expected to take on larger roles in their inaugural season. Those talents were on display Tuesday in the PMAC.
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ZaKiyah Johnson nearly had a double-double in the first half. She finished the game with 11 points and 11 rebounds on five of 10 shooting from the field. She added an assist and a block to close out her stat line. The versatile newcomer cracked the starting lineup and scored LSU’s first basket of the season.
Grace Knox also finished in double figures with 10 points on five of eight shooting. She came away with four rebounds, three steals and two blocks. The six-foot-two forward used her length to affect the Huskies’ shot attempts and passes. She was active on both ends of the floor, setting screens and crashing the boards.
Bella Hines subbed in with four minutes remaining in the first quarter. She scored the first points of her career in the third, knocking down both of her attempts from the field, including a three-pointer. The guard finished with five points, two assists and a rebound through her 17 minutes.
With under six minutes remaining in the second quarter, Divine Bourrage checked in. She played 10 minutes in her collegiate debut. While she missed her only shot attempt, she knocked down one of the two ensuing free throws. Bourrage also pulled down three rebounds.
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The final true freshman off the bench for head coach Kim Mulkey’s squad was Meghan Yarnevich. She made her debut with two minutes left in the third quarter and scored her first point on a foul shot. The forward played eight minutes in the final frame and shot two of three from the field to finish with five points.
Johnson and Knox will likely see the most consistent minutes out of the true freshmen. Mulkey will continue experimenting with the starting lineup in non-conference play and the pair could be rotated in and out of the first five. Hines will be a factor off the bench, but she faces competition from fellow guards MiLaysia Fulwiley and Kailyn Gilbert.
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: How LSU women’s basketball true freshman performed in debut
