LSU star Flau'jae Johnson worried red left eye could ruin Bahamas trip: "I've never had anything happen like this before"
Flau'jae Johnson shared a funny exchange with coach Kim Mulkey after LSU’s win over Tulane on Wednesday. Johnson had her left eye poked in the second half of their 85-74 victory, and she was worried about her appearance ahead of the Tigers' road trip to the Bahamas.
Johnson had a huge smile on her face when a reporter asked her about her eye, saying:
“I’ve never had anything happen like this before. I’m gonna go to the Bahamas; we’re supposed to be taking cute pictures, but my eye."
Mulkey, who was sitting next to Johnson, cut her star player off and inspected her injured eye for a few seconds. The legendary coach then reassured her star player, saying:
“You’re still beautiful.”
Johnson immediately replied to Mulkey’s statement, saying, “I know, but my eye,” which drew laughs from the reporters.
How did Flau'jae Johnson injure her left eye?
Johnson picked up her left eye injury with 7:17 remaining in the fourth quarter of their win against Tulane. The incident occurred when the Green Wave's Kyren Whittington inadvertently hit Johnson's face with her follow-through after she drove to the basket.
Johnson stayed on the ground for some time after taking a hit to her eye, clearly showing some pain after blocking Whittington's shot attempt.
Johnson eased fans' worries though as she was able to finish the contest. She played a huge part in the Tigers recording their sixth win of the season, posting a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
Johnson wreaked havoc against Tulane's defense, shooting 10 of 24 from the field, including 3 of 6 from beyond the arc. She also had five assists and two blocks.
Mulkey also had Aneesah Morrow to thank for the Tigers extending their winning streak. She also recorded a double-double against the Green Wave, scoring 23 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in 33 minutes of action.
LSU Tigers head to Bahamas with unbeaten record intact
The Tigers are ranked No. 7 in the nation after finishing their home stand with a perfect 6-0 record. They recorded victories against Eastern Kentucky, Northwestern State, Charleston Southern, Murray State, Troy and Tulane to start the 2024-25 season, beating those teams by an average of 41.2 points.
They now head to the Bahamas to participate in the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo championship. The Tigers open their campaign in Nassau with a showdown against Washington on Monday.