Kim Mulkey wasn't the only one not happy in the LSU women's basketball locker room at halftime against Alabama.
The home team took a 35-34 lead into the break and Aaliyah Nye scorched LSU for 18 first-half points, including knocking down four 3-pointers.
Tigers sophomore star Flau'jae Johnson was tasked with guarding Nye and her opponent got the better of her through the first two quarters. Johnson played solid defense, Nye just made tough shots.
Johnson took that personally.
"I was pissed that the girl scored 18 points," Johnson said after LSU's 78-58 win over Alabama on Thursday night. "She was on fire. I got to give credit to her. Most of the time she shot the ball, my hand was right there in her pocket. She's just got a good touch and a good feel.
"If she didn't have 18 points, it wouldn't have been close. I took that personally. (At halftime), I'm like, 'She's not scoring again.'"
Nye did not score again and managed three attempts after the second quarter. While Johnson was frustrated about Nye's good start to the game, she was able channel it into an all-around solid performance with 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block.
Not only did Johnson rally, her team followed suit, outscoring Alabama 44-23 in the second half to cruise to the victory. LSU won the third quarter, 26-10 to stretch things out.
"The big difference was we defended a little bit better," Mulkey said. "Flau'jae had the assignment and (Nye) scored four 3's on her. Those 3's were big time, it wasn't like Flau'jae didn't have a hand in her face — maybe one was open. Flau'jae was two rebounds away from having a double-double. So we're asking her to guard the best player from the perimeter on their team, then we're asking her to do other things offensively and then go rebound the ball.
"She was very active. And that kind of activity is contagious, it spreads."
After losing at Auburn on Sunday, Mulkey said she wasn't sure where her team's psyche was going to be. Despite a slow start, LSU rebounded, much like Johnson did from the first to second half at Alabama.
LSU OVERCOMES SLOW START AT ALABAMA LSU women's basketball overcomes slow start to take down Alabama
ANGEL REESE FINAL PLAY AT AUBURN Kim Mulkey explains late play with Angel Reese in LSU women's basketball's loss at Auburn
How quickly the Tigers can flush their frustrations, slow starts and discomfort during games will be key for the team going forward.
"That's about being mature. It's a new half. My hiccup was letting my man score how she scored. That was killing me," Johnson said. "It's not taking that into the next quarter and that's about growing up and maturing."
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: How Flau'jae Johnson sparked LSU women's basketball win at Alabama
