LSU forward Sa'Myah Smith (5) moves the ball around LSU-Alexandria Benedetta Peracchi (34) in an exhibition game, Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at the LSU PMAC in Baton Rouge, La. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save In her official return to live game action from the knee injury that cut her sophomore season short, LSU forward Sa’Myah Smith looked sharp. The redshirt sophomore wasn’t the Tigers’ leading scorer Wednesday in their 117-37 exhibition win over LSU-Alexandria.
That title went to junior Flau’jae Johnson , who maneuvered her way to a casual 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting against an undersized Generals team. But Smith’s apparent comfort was the most notable aspect of the LSU women’s basketball team's second and final Pete Maravich Assembly Center tune-up for the 2024-25 season. The 6-foot-2 forward — who has rebounding, shot-blocking and interior scoring chops that the Tigers need — scored the first four points of the game, then added another eight points, nine rebounds and two blocks before her night was over after 21 minutes of action.
On LSU’s first possession, she caught an entry pass and hit a short turnaround jumper. Then, transfer guard Kailyn Gilbert gave her a pocket pass in a pick-and-roll action, setting her up for an easy layup. Later in the first half, Smith added another layup off a quick drop-off pass from freshman Jada Richard, then scored again on a short put-back jumper that she banked in after rebounding.
