As the calendar flips to January, SEC basketball is about to take center stage - and both LSU programs are stepping into conference play with very different expectations but a shared truth: defense will dictate how far they go.
Mulkey’s Tigers: Eyes on the Top
Let’s start with Kim Mulkey’s LSU women’s team, which opens its 16-game SEC slate Thursday night at the PMAC against Kentucky. The goal here isn’t just to compete - it’s to dominate.
This is a team with Final Four pedigree and championship aspirations, and they’re looking to lock in a top-four NCAA Tournament seed, if not something even higher. Winning the SEC would all but guarantee that.
But here’s the thing: scoring 100 points a game - which they’ve done 11 times already - is flashy, sure. It’s fun.
It makes headlines. But Mulkey knows that buckets alone won’t carry them through the SEC gauntlet.
Defense is where this team’s fate will really be decided.
LSU’s non-conference numbers look strong overall, but when they faced their lone power-conference opponent - Duke - the Tigers gave up 77 points and allowed the Blue Devils to shoot 50% from the field. That’s a red flag heading into SEC play, where the margin for error shrinks and the talent level spikes.
If LSU wants to keep pace with the SEC’s elite - namely South Carolina and Texas - they’ll need to tighten up on that end of the floor. South Carolina, for example, held six power-conference opponents to just 59 points per game, while averaging eight steals and five blocks.
Texas, meanwhile, gave up 62 points per game against its four power-league foes and forced turnovers with 12 steals per outing. That’s the kind of defensive efficiency LSU will need to emulate if they want to stay in the title conversation.
Mulkey herself acknowledged after a recent win over Alabama State that she’s not quite sure what to expect once the competition ramps up. That’s telling.
Outside of Flau’jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams, most of the roster hasn’t been through the SEC grind. The offensive fireworks are real - but the defensive identity?
That’s still a work in progress.
McMahon’s Tigers: Fighting for Relevance
On the men’s side, Matt McMahon’s squad opens SEC play Saturday afternoon on the road at Texas A&M. The mission here is more about survival - and revival.
LSU hasn’t danced in March since before McMahon arrived, and if that’s going to change this year, it starts with stacking SEC wins. Ten of them, to be exact, would likely put the Tigers in the NCAA Tournament conversation and give McMahon some much-needed job security.
The good news? This is the most talented roster McMahon has had in Baton Rouge.
The bad news? That talent leans heavily toward offense - and the defense hasn’t kept pace.
In three matchups against power-conference teams (Boston College, SMU, and Texas Tech), LSU went 2-1. But the defensive numbers tell a different story.
The Tigers gave up 76 points per game and allowed opponents to shoot 44% from the floor - including a worrying 41% from three. That’s not going to cut it in a league where every night feels like a fistfight.
Rebounding has also been an issue. LSU was outrebounded by nearly three boards per game in those matchups, and they’ve struggled to create separation in the hustle stats - assists and turnovers have been nearly even, which speaks to a lack of control on both ends.
Losing Jalen Reed for the season was a blow, especially on defense. Robert Miller, once expected to help fill that gap, has struggled to find consistency.
That’s left the starting five - Dedan Thomas, Max Mackinnon, Marquel Sutton, Pablo Tamba, and Mike Nwoko - with a heavy load. And with bench players like Jalen Reece, Rashad King, and Miller delivering uneven performances, depth becomes a real concern.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a team that can score but has yet to prove it can get stops - or sustain effort over 40 minutes against SEC-caliber opponents. And in this league, defensive lapses and shallow rotations are a recipe for a long winter.
One Common Thread: Defense Wins in the SEC
So while the LSU women are chasing titles and the men are chasing relevance, both programs are staring down the same challenge: defend or fall behind. The SEC isn’t forgiving. Whether you’re trying to punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament or make a deep run once you get there, it starts with getting stops.
For Mulkey’s squad, the offensive firepower is already there. The question is whether the defense can rise to the level of their championship ambitions. For McMahon’s group, it’s about finding a defensive identity - and doing it fast - if they want to stay in the postseason picture.
The road ahead is long, and the stakes are high. But one thing is clear: in the SEC, defense isn’t optional - it’s everything.