Lead: On January 11, 2026, in Baton Rouge, the No. 12 LSU women’s basketball team defeated No. 2 Texas 70-65 before a sellout crowd of 13,200 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Junior guard Mikaylah Williams paced the Tigers with a 20-point, seven-rebound performance and a career-high five steals to close out the fourth quarter. The victory improved LSU to 16-2 overall and 2-2 in SEC play while handing Texas its first loss of the season, dropping the Longhorns to 18-1 and 3-1 in conference action. The win also marked LSU’s first AP Top‑2 victory since 2008 and snapped a 17-game losing streak versus AP Top‑2 opponents.
Key Takeaways
- Final score: LSU 70, Texas 65; attendance 13,200 at Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
- Records: LSU moved to 16-2 overall and 2-2 in the SEC; Texas fell to 18-1 and 3-1 in the SEC.
- Mikaylah Williams stat line: 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and a career-high 5 steals; she shot 7-of-13 from the field and 4-of-6 from the free throw line.
- Balanced scoring: five Tigers reached double figures — Williams (20), Flau’jae Johnson (10), Jada Richard (10), MiLaysia Fulwiley (10) and ZaKiyah Johnson (10).
- Texas team shooting: 25-of-57 from the field, 4-of-12 from three and 11-of-18 at the line; LSU forced 17 turnovers — the most Texas has committed this season.
- Second-chance impact: Texas surrendered a season-high 13 second‑chance points to LSU, a decisive factor in extra possessions.
- Game control: LSU led for 26:52 of the game while Texas led for 7:17; the largest LSU lead was nine points.
Background
The matchup arrived with national attention: Texas entered 2026 unbeaten and ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, while LSU sat at No. 12 and was building momentum under head coach Kim Mulkey. LSU’s program carries recent high-profile success, including the 2023 national championship, and the team sought signature wins to shore up its resume for NCAA seeding. Texas, a perennial top-five program, came into the game with an 18-0 streak that underscored the upset’s significance for both programs.
The game took place in the PMAC, where a 13,200 sellout represented the ninth-largest crowd in LSU women’s basketball history, amplifying the home‑court atmosphere. Conference implications were immediate: the result shifted early SEC pecking order and will influence teams’ league standings and selection committee narratives as both squads navigate the rest of nonconference play and the SEC slate. Both rosters feature pro-level talent and coaching staffs that emphasize defense, setting expectations for a low-possession, high-effort contest.
Main Event
The first quarter set a defensive tone as both teams produced just 11 points apiece, marking the lowest first-quarter scoring output for either side this season. Flau’jae Johnson opened scoring with a three, and the period closed knotted as each team repeatedly forced stops. LSU’s toughness on the boards and early positional defense prevented Texas from establishing rhythm in the opening minutes.
In the second quarter LSU began cold, missing its first seven attempts, but closed the frame on an 8-for-9 stretch and carried a 30-25 lead into halftime. The Tigers outrebounded Texas 12-4 in the period and used offensive rebounds to generate second-chance points that widened their margin. Overall first-half shooting for LSU improved markedly after the mid-quarter surge.
After intermission LSU rode that momentum into a 20-9 run that started late in the second quarter and extended into the third, pushing the lead to as many as nine — the largest deficit Texas had faced all season. Texas fought back in the fourth quarter, trimming the margin to three at one point, but LSU’s balance and ball protection in the final minutes proved decisive. Williams’ late three with 1:20 remaining pushed the lead to 66-59; Jada Richard then sealed the outcome at the free-throw line, hitting four clutch attempts down the stretch.
Analysis & Implications
Tactically, LSU’s defense created the conditions for the upset by forcing 17 turnovers and limiting Texas to a 43.9 percent field-goal rate (25-of-57). Those turnovers translated to transition chances and disrupted Texas’s half-court sets, reducing high-efficiency opportunities for the Longhorns’ primary scorers. For teams looking to contain Texas, the model demonstrated here — aggressive on-ball pressure plus disciplined rebound boxing out — is repeatable.
From a roster-development perspective, Mikaylah Williams’ complete stat line (20-7-4-5) signals a growth in two-way responsibility: she scored in key moments, defended Texas’ lead perimeter threats, and created possessions via steals. That form of two-way play elevates LSU’s ceiling; when Williams leads both scoring and defensive runs, the Tigers profile as a more dangerous tournament team. Jada Richard’s defensive matchups and free-throw reliability add a complementary stabilizing presence late in games.
On a program level, the win breaks a psychological barrier — the first Top‑2 victory since 2008 and the end of a 17-game losing streak versus AP Top‑2 opponents — which may influence polls, perception and seeding narratives. For Texas, a first loss this late in January recalibrates external expectations but is unlikely to derail the Longhorns’ long-term prospects; the contest highlights areas for improvement, notably ball security and rebounding on the road.
Comparison & Data
| Team | Points | FG | 3PT | FT | Rebounds | Turnovers | Second‑Chance Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LSU | 70 | — | — | — | — | — | 13 |
| Texas | 65 | 25‑of‑57 | 4‑of‑12 | 11‑of‑18 | — | 17 | 13 |
Note: Boxscore lists Texas at 25-of-57 overall, 4-of-12 from three and 11-of-18 from the free throw line. LSU’s reported second‑chance scoring and the 17 forced turnovers were decisive; official team rebound totals were skewed by LSU’s strong showing in the second quarter (12-4 advantage). These figures underline how possession and extra opportunities tilted the game.
Reactions & Quotes
“If you’re a true basketball junkie, that was an enjoyable game to watch because both teams had just hard-nosed defense. Everything came hard in what you tried to do,”
Kim Mulkey, LSU head coach (postgame)
Mulkey credited defensive intensity and ball control as fundamentals that swung the game in LSU’s favor, praising the team’s collective effort on both ends of the floor.
“Jada will guard you. Jada takes things that you say and tries to be the coach on the floor, even at a young age,”
Kim Mulkey, LSU head coach (on Jada Richard)
Mulkey emphasized Richard’s defensive maturity and free-throw reliability, noting her role as a stabilizer in late-game situations.
“We had to take care of the ball first against Texas, and I thought we did a better job when it mattered,”
Mikaylah Williams, LSU junior guard
Williams described the team’s focus on limiting turnovers and converting critical possessions down the stretch, highlighting her late three and defensive plays as momentum shifters.
Unconfirmed
- National TV ratings for the broadcast have not yet been released and cannot be confirmed at this time.
- The immediate long-term impact on NCAA tournament seeding projections remains preliminary and will depend on upcoming nonconference and SEC results.
Bottom Line
LSU’s 70-65 upset of No. 2 Texas on January 11, 2026, was a defensive, team-driven victory that showcased Mikaylah Williams’ rising two-way profile and the Tigers’ depth of contributors. The win snaps a long-standing Top‑2 drought for the program and delivers a signature home-court moment in front of a near-capacity crowd.
For LSU, the result is a résumé-enhancing triumph that should boost confidence entering the conference schedule and the upcoming road test at No. 5 Oklahoma on January 18. For Texas, the loss is an early-season course correction that highlights turnovers and rebounding as areas to address before conference play deepens.
Sources
- LSU Athletics — Official team release and boxscore.
- NCAA — Official statistics and competition framework (official).