LSU guard Kailyn Gilbert (16) dribbles the ball down court while guarded by Charleston Southern guard Taylor Caldwell (13) during the LSU vs. Charleston Southern women’s basketball game at Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The LSU women’s basketball team is counting on Kailyn Gilbert to improve how she plays on the defensive end of the floor.
Only then can coach Kim Mulkey fully trust the transfer guard with a role inside the rotation she’ll use once Southeastern Conference play begins. It’s early. But Gilbert has been arguably the No.
7 Tigers’ most active defender. Through three games, the junior guard has tallied a team-high 11 steals. That’s already half as many as Gilbert recorded in her freshman season at Arizona, and it’s over a third as many as she notched in her sophomore year, a season in which she played only 23 games.
Just 24 Division I players have more steals than Gilbert so far this year. “She's getting better on the defensive end,” Mulkey said. “She still gambles.
She still is not what I call disciplined for the entire shot clock, but it matters to her, and she really, really works at it. She wants to be better, and she has improved tremendously since she's been here on the defensive end.” Gilbert has tallied multiple steals in each game this season.
She’ll look to continue that streak at 7 p.m. Friday, when LSU (3-0) hosts Murray State.
Through .
