Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers are unbeaten to start the season, racing out to a 12–0 record. But there’s one question that still hangs over them. They haven’t faced many quality, ranked opponents yet. Yes, the Tigers have piled up nine 100-point games, but those numbers won’t mean much unless they can do it against top competition.

That test is coming soon as SEC play tips off, and Mulkey is eager to see how her team responds, especially the continued growth of guard Jada Richard.

“Look, Jada, she scored in double figures. That’s not even a priority for me. I tell her, if you’re looking for your shot, you’re playing for the wrong woman,” Mulkey said in the press conference following the 91–33 win over the Morgan State Lady Bears. “You’re going to get your shots, but everybody else comes first. Make the first pass. Make sure she’s guarding the right people. Make sure you’re helping. Make sure you’re making the right calls defensively. Manage that game out there on the court. You’re going to get shots. So I’m going to be curious to watch her progression as the SEC rolls around.”

Richard finished with 10 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals against Morgan State, and it’s clear her coach doesn’t need her to be a lights-out scorer. And why would she? LSU currently has not one, not two, but seven players averaging double figures. That freedom allows the sophomore guard to focus on being the floor general of the team, a role she’s embracing as the Tigers’ assist leader at 3.5 per game.

Right now, no Lady Tiger is averaging more than 24 minutes per game, but that’s bound to change once SEC play begins. As the competition ramps up, Kim Mulkey will likely tighten her rotation, which should push minutes up across the board and give players more chances to boost their numbers. That said, life in the SEC won’t be easy.

The conference is stacked with some of the best coaching minds in the game right now. Dawn Staley and Vic Schaefer rank among the winningest coaches in women’s basketball, while Kim Caldwell, Jennie Baranczyk, and Shea Ralph are widely viewed as rising stars on the sidelines. Kenny Brooks has also made his mark, quickly reviving Kentucky while owning a Final Four appearance and more than 500 career wins. And Yolett McPhee-McCuin has quietly turned Ole Miss into a program that consistently wins and competes at a high level.

And to top it off, the SEC currently boasts eight ranked teams, making it one of the toughest, if not the toughest, conferences in the country. Kim Mulkey’s side will have to be at its absolute best if it wants to navigate what lies ahead and put together a successful season. So…

What’s next for Kim Mulkey and Co.

Before SEC play tips off with a marquee showdown against Kentucky, Mulkey’s side has two more tune-ups on the schedule, both at home inside the iconic Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU will first host the UT Arlington Mavericks before closing non-conference play against the Alabama State Lady Hornets.

On paper, neither game should pose much trouble. ESPN gives the Tigers a 99% chance of winning both. But once those are out of the way, the real grind begins. LSU will then face four ranked opponents in its next five games, a brutal stretch that includes matchups against Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Texas, and Oklahoma.

Can Mulkey and her group carry this strong form into SEC play when the competition turns unforgiving? ESPN still favors the Lady Tigers in every one of those matchups, but this is college basketball, and we all know crazier things have happened. So what do you think? Do you see LSU finishing the season as SEC regular-season champions? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.