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LSU coach Kim Mulkey should find a replacement for guard Hailey Van Lith. After helping the Lady Tigers reach the Elite Eight this past season, Van Lith transferred to TCU.
The five-foot-seven guard was a part of the stacked LSU roster having Angel Reese, Flau'jae Johnson, Mikaylah Williams and Aneesah Morrow. She appeared in 33 games for the Lady Tigers, averaging 11.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Van Lith provided another dimension to LSU's offense and eased the burden off Reese, Williams, Johnson and Morrow. Now that she's gone, LSU is looking for someone to play the guard's role for the upcoming season. With this in mind, here are the top five players who could replace Van Lith in the 2024-25 season.
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Top 5 LSU players who could take over Hailey Van Lith's role next season
#5. Mikaylah Williams
The reigning SEC Freshman of the Year is among the players Mulkey expects to take over Van Lith's role next season. The six-foot Mikaylah Williams showed potential this past season, averaging 14.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.9 apg and 1.2 spg in 34 games. She is expected to hike up her numbers and become one of the leaders for the Lady Tigers next season.
#4. Shayeann Day-Wilson
Last season, Shayeann Day-Wilson had a great season with Miami after transferring from Duke. The five-foot-six Canadian guard played for 31 games with the Hurricanes, averaging 11.9 ppg, 3.5 apg, 2.7 rpg and 0.7 spg. She shot 41.4% from the field, including 36.8% from the 3-point line.
Day-Wilson is not shy to take a 3-pointer when needed, as she made 1.9 triples from 5.3 attempts last season. Aside from her renowned playmaking skills, she is expected to give the Lady Tigers an additional 3-point threat.
#3. Kailyn Gilbert
The five-foot-eight transferee from Arizona is coming off a breakout season where she tallied 15.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.3 spg. She is expected to fill in for the role left off by Van Lith and could be a better version of the TCU-bound star.
Kailyn Gilbert is a lockdown defender capable of limiting the offensive outputs of opponents' top players. She is also a good offensive threat who can score 20 points.
#2. Aneesah Morrow
Aneesah Morrow's numbers dipped this past season as she gave way for Williams and Van Lith to contribute. Despite the down season, the 6-foot-1 guard still averaged 16.4 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.5 spg, 1.8 bpg and 1.7 apg.
With Reese and Van Lith gone, expect Morrow's numbers to pick up as she will be back from her previous role as the team's top option. With the WNBA scouts knocking at her door, expect her to equal or surpass the 25.7-point, 12.2-rebound stat line she had in her sophomore season.
#1. Flau'jae Johnson
Johnson is expected to team up with Morrow as LSU's 1-2 punch next season, meaning she could have a bigger role for coach Kim Mulkey. Last season, the 5-foot-10 guard showed promise, averaging 14.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.1 spg and 1.0 bpg.
With Van Lith out of the LSU lineup with Reese, Johnson could become a playmaker/leader for the Lady Tigers.
Will LSU reclaim the title they lost last season? Let us know your opinions in the comments section.
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