MiLaysia Fulwiley made her long-awaited debut with LSU women’s basketball on Tuesday. In the season-opening win over Houston Christian, she led all scorers with 21 points and the junior guard showed no sign of nerves.
“There wasn’t any butterflies,” Fulwiley said. “I think I just wanted to win, honestly. I already know what this team is capable of doing. We practice a lot. We play with each other a lot, so I feel like everybody knew what to expect from each other, but as far as me, I think I just was ready to play, ready to just start my third year of college.”
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While she didn’t crack the starting lineup, Fulwiley made an immediate impact off the bench when she subbed in during the first quarter. She knocked down a triple soon after entering and came away with two steals. The junior guard finished the game with seven steals and four rebounds.
Fulwiley shot eight of 14 from the field and two of five from distance. The former South Carolina guard is known for her flashy playmaking abilities but she said the LSU staff is encouraging her to be wise with her shot selection.
“They just stay on me about taking good shots and just being smart and knowing that I can get to the basket at any time, so I think I’m in a good spot with that so far,” Fulwiley said.
Returning guards Flau’Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams combined with Fulwiley in transition for some dynamic ball movement. All three have the ability to take over a game and the former Gamecock knows her decision-making skills will be tested.
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“In practice we emphasize being patient and getting ball reversals and just not trying to take the first shot,” Fulwiley said, “I think I’m getting really great at being calm and taking the shot I want and not taking the shots that the defense is forcing me to take and that just comes from a lot of practice.”
This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: What MiLaysia Fulwiley after playing first game with LSU
