“Flau’jae’s a hoot, isn’t she? That kid has more joy in her soul than anybody I’ve coached.”

LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey cracked a wide smile after Flau’jae Johnson exited the postgame interview room last Thursday, when LSU beat Missouri, 92-72, in its Southeastern Conference opener.

Johnson, a sophomore, helped spark the team with one of the best overall performances of her LSU career so far with 24 points, five rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block.

As her teammate Aneesah Morrow put it, that singular block was the momentum boost midway through the second quarter that led to a 47-22 run through the third.

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“That one play taught me a lot,” Johnson said. “I was so tired, I did not want to run back. But I was like, I’m not about to let (LSU assistant coach Bob Starkey) catch me on film behind. I went for it. That shows you how one play can change the whole momentum.

“Going hard for that play can change the whole trajectory of a game on defense, not even on offense. I’m glad I did that and I’m definitely going to be doing that more often.”

Johnson and star Angel Reese are the two returning starters from last season’s NCAA championship squad. There was plenty of turnovers for LSU following its title, with point guard Alexis Morris, Jasmine Carson, forward LaDazhia Williams all graduating and Kateri Poole no longer with the team.

Mulkey and her staff ushered in Louisville graduate transfer Hailey Van Lith to play point guard, Morrow from DePaul and the No. 1-ranked recruiting class, headlined by Mikaylah Williams, who’s off to a tremendous freshman campaign.

But the LSU coaches knew that Reese and Johnson needed to be the leaders. And Johnson, who was the SEC Freshman of the Year last year, still needed to improve.

“Flau’jae got so many minutes as a freshman last year. It’s allowed her to mature and become more comfortable faster,” Mulkey said. “She’s just a sophomore. She and Angel are the two most experienced I have out there in this system for me.”

The challenge for Johnson began with taking better care of the basketball, but where Mulkey and LSU (15-1, 2-0) need her the most is on the defensive end. Poole and Morris were the Tigers’ defensive stoppers during the NCAA Tournament, but they’re both gone.

Through 16 games, Johnson ranks second on the team in steals (39) and blocks (15).

“Be that consistent defensive player for us first. She has so much talent around her,” Mulkey said. “I mean, who are you going to guard? Hailey, Mikaylah, Flau’jae, Angel, Morrow? We can score points at all position we just have to get better defensively.

“I have to make Flau’jae understand that you got to be that defensive stopper for us. You got to be the one.”

Mulkey believes the sophomore is on her way to being an all-around better player. Johnson’s embrace of that role as LSU ventures into SEC play followed by the postseason is starting to show through her performances and indicative of that is how she plays the game.

“She’s trying to be that all-around player. She’s trying to get you rebounds, she’s trying to guard their best player on the perimeter for us because she does have the most experience. Making her a better all-around player and making her understand that you’re not going to play a perfect game,” Mulkey said. “She just has a joy about playing this game that is contagious.”

An aspect of her game that Johnson hopes can spread throughout the team is that buy-in factor. She aims to be exactly who LSU needs her to be on the floor to help it win games and championships.

“Coach Mulkey says quotes all the time. My favorite quote, ‘I gave everything I had and what I kept, I lost forever,’” Johnson said. "When you put it in that perspective, I gave everything I had in this game. If I don’t give another inch, I don’t get that back.

“Put it all on the floor.”

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: Flau'jae Johnson's defense will help LSU women's basketball win most