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LSU women's basketball at Texas A&M: Score prediction, scouting report

There's five games remining in the 2023-24 regular season and, according to the NCAA Tournament selection committee, LSU women's basketball has a little bit of ground to make up to be an overall top-10 seed.

LSU (21-4, 8-3), second in the Southeastern Conference standings behind the committee's No. 1 overall seed South Carolina, came in No. 14 in the first reveal of the top 16 teams Thursday night, as the group weighed quality of losses – of which the Tigers have two bad ones in Auburn and Mississippi State.

What it also means for Kim Mulkey and LSU is that there's not much wiggle room in terms of hosting the first two rounds of March Madness. Games like LSU's road game at Texas A&M on Monday (6 p.m., SEC Network) are made all the more important.

What you need to know heading into the matchup.

Janiah Barker is back for Texas A&M

Janiah Barker suited up for the Aggies during the teams' previous meeting in early January but missed the South Carolina and Missouri games due to a concussion she suffered in the loss to Tennessee.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore forward has played much better basketball in her return, averaging 15 points the last three games for A&M, the best three-game stretch she's had during conference play.

LSU's Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow were able to get Barker in foul trouble in the earlier meeting, which LSU won 87-70. That needs to be the gameplan again for the Tigers against a more assured and confident Barker.

LSU women's basketball must contain Endiya Rogers

Part of what makes Barker so effective is the set up she gets from her point guard Endiya Rogers.

Rogers has averaged four assists per game since Barker returned to the lineup and her season average of four assists per game is seventh-best in the SEC, so she's one of the more dynamic passers in the league.

The Texas A&M guard went off against LSU for 27 points in early January as LSU guards Hailey Van Lith and Flau'jae Johnson struggled to limit her ability to drive the lane to kick or score.

LSU's backcourt has played much better defense of late. How well they contain Rogers will be a good indicator of where they are.

Kim Mulkey needs to prioritize Angel Reese, Aneesah Morrow in gameplan

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As the season has progressed, the chemistry between Reese and Morrow on the block for the Tigers has steadily grown.

Their play has morphed into a well-timed ballet, both correctly anticipating where the other is going to be before the sequence fully reveals itself.

Mulkey said this week she's been most impressed with how Morrow and Reese recognize early in games whether their shot is working for them and if not, their unselfishness to pass to the other.

Reese and Morrow are playing at a level together that many other teams can't match down low, the Aggies included.

LSU women's basketball score prediction at Texas A&M

LSU 81, Texas A&M 72: A&M is a much different ballclub since the two last played but the same can be said for the Tigers. Reese has another big game as she helps LSU put the Aggies on ice in the second half.

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: LSU women's basketball at Texas A&M: Score prediction, scouting report