"Set that record against Caitlin Clark": Flau'jae Johnson downplays record breaking game, highlights matchup vs former Iowa star

Flau’jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow showed no signs of injury concerns as they led No. 3 LSU to a 103-48 win over No. 14 San Diego State in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament on Saturday.

Johnson, returning from a shin inflammation that had sidelined her since LSU’s February 27 loss to Alabama, admitted to feeling some nerves ahead of the game. (starting at 7:30)

“I ain't going to lie, I was nervous today. I was talking to Coach Bob, and I was like, I was looking good in practice, right? You know what I'm saying? I was like, I'm straight, do you think so? I was nervous, I ain't going to lie. I'm always nervous before games, but this time I was just like, I don't want to be the odd man out,” Johnson said.

However, the 21-year-old looked confident on the court in her team's dominant win. She finished with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting and her efforts pushed her past the 1,500-point milestone for her career.

Meanwhile, Morrow secured her nation-leading 28th double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Their contributions helped LSU set a program record for most points scored in an NCAA Tournament game.

After the game, Johnson acknowledged the setting of the scoring record but also downplayed it, emphasizing that the real challenge lies ahead.

“But as far as the record goes, I think it's cool, but it's like, we did set that record against Caitlin Clark. You know what I'm saying? When we get tougher competition, it's going to feel a lot better to do things like that. But for this team right here and the momentum that we're building, it's big for us.

"It's big for the people that haven't been to the Elite 8 and the championship game…Like, you know, it's beautiful, and it's a dope part of the game to be able to make history, especially for LSU,” Johnson added.

It's pretty clear that Johnson wants to focus on the road ahead instead of being complacent about the dominant win. She wants the new players on the team to draw confidence from the 103-48 victory and use it as fuel in the next rounds.

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What’s next for LSU women's basketball?

LSU (29-5) now enters the second round, where they will face No. 6 Florida State on Monday, which will be a tough challenge for the Louisiana side. Mulkey’s squad will look to continue their strong NCAA Tournament run, with hopes of returning to the Elite Eight and beyond.

The second-round showdown against Florida State will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN at 6 p.m. ET, with streaming options available through ESPN+ and Fubo.