Mulkey: LSU star Morrow expected to be ready for NCAA Tournament after injury in 56-49 loss to Texas

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — LSU coach Kim Mulkey said Aneesah Morrow will be available to play in the upcoming NCAA Tournament after the senior forward was helped off the floor during the third quarter of Saturday’s 56-49 loss to No. 1 Texas in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament after stepping on an opponent’s foot.

Mulkey also said leading scorer Flau’Jae Johnson, who sat out the tournament with a shin injury in order to prepare for the NCAAs, will also be ready to play for the ninth-ranked Tigers (28-5).

In her post-game news conference at the Bon Secours Wellsness Arena, Mulkey that Morrow reaggravated a mid-foot sprain, something that she first injured in the the Tigers’ last game against Texas on Feb. 16. She said Morrow wore the boot some last week when not practicing.

Morrow was seen on the LSU bench wearing the boot in the fourth quarter.

“She’s good to go,” Mulkey said. “I’m not surprised. She was fighting (the training staff) to get back in the game. And they were like, ‘oh no, we have bigger fish to fry.’ But that’s Aneesah.” … But she can go for the tournament. Everything is good.”

The NCAA Tournament committee at times has lowered a team’s seeding based on what players may not be availabe to play.

Mulkey seemed intent on not letting that happen.

“I know the NCAA sits there and says, ‘Oh they don’t have…,’” Mulkey said. “Well, we have everybody.”

Morrow was making a move toward the basket with LSU trailing by five early in the third quarter when she stepped on Texas forward Taylor Jones’s foot and immediately went down. Morrow remained on the floor being attended to by trainers for several minutes before being helped off the court to the lockerroom.

She was unable to put any pressure on the foot at the time.

Morrow set a school SEC Tournament record on Friday when she scored 36 points in LSU’s 101-87 win over Florida in the quarterfinals. She came into Saturday’s game averaging 18.7 points and 14 rebounds per game for the Tigers, who entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed and have national championship aspirations.

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