When the LSU women’s basketball team landed four of the nation’s top 35 recruits, it knew that it’d likely have to count on most of those signees early in their careers.

On Thursday, one of those highly rated freshmen reassured the No. 5 Tigers that she’d be ready for a large role this season. ZaKiyah Johnson, a five-star forward from Kentucky, scored a game-high 25 points on 12-of-14 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 148-46 exhibition win over Mississippi College — the first of two tune-ups LSU will play before its season tips off on Nov. 4.

Johnson didn’t start the game against the Choctaws. Instead, Mulkey slotted a returner and two newcomers next to star guards Flau’jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams in her starting lineup. Sophomore Jada Richard ran the point. East Carolina t

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