LSU women could be short on guards as new season begins | LSU

Only eight scholarship players were available for the LSU women's basketball team's second and final exhibition game on Wednesday, a 117-37 victory over LSU-Alexandria.

Two of the contributors who did not report – guards Mjracle Sheppard and Last-Tear Poa – are not expected to play in LSU's season opener against Eastern Kentucky on Monday. Coach Kim Mulkey said Sheppard, a transfer from Mississippi State, will miss a few weeks with a stress reaction injury.

It is unclear whether Poa's expected absence is related to the lawsuit she filed against the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Middle District of Louisiana. The veteran point guard filed the lawsuit on Oct. 24, the same day Mulkey said she didn't attend LSU's first exhibition game so she could “take care of business outside the stadium.”

On Wednesday, Mulkey said she was unaware that Poa had filed the lawsuit.

According to On3, Poa sued the agency because it denied her a visa that would help her secure name, image and likeness deals. Current U.S. immigration regulations limit the number of employment opportunities that international students like Poa can pursue.

Sophomore star Mikaylah Williams (ankle) and Miami transfer Shayeann Day-Wilson (hip pointer) also did not see the floor Wednesday. But Mulkey said LSU took every guard out of action as a precaution.

Jada Richard, a freshman point guard from Lafayette, injured her ankle after playing 10 minutes in LSU's game against LSU-Alexandria. After the game, Mulkey said she didn't yet know how serious her injury was.

LSU is also missing walk-on guard Izzy Besselman, who Mulkey said is meeting with doctors to diagnose an undisclosed heart condition that was discovered before the Tigers began preseason practice on Sept. 24.

In LSU's first exhibition game, Sheppard, a 5-foot-7 sophomore, scored 12 points, six rebounds, six steals and three assists.

Sa'Myah Smith, a redshirt sophomore who missed all but seven games last season after suffering a knee injury, played without limitations on Wednesday. She scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked two shots.