Seven Louisiana natives are on women’s basketball rosters of programs participating in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, and more than half that contingent will see one another Friday on the same court in Baton Rouge.
Perennial power LSU, including three home-state products, enters this year’s Big Dance with its highest seed of coach Kim Mulkey’s five-year tenure, and its first opponent features a local product who played her high school ball less than 20 miles from Pete Maravich Assembly Center — though, unfortunately, two of those four players are unlikely to see action because of health issues.
The No. 2 Lady Tigers, with their eyes on another deep March (and potentially April) run, fittingly headline the Louisiana flavor in this year’s 68-team bracket, but four other teams — including opening-round opponent No. 15 Jacksonville — also boast ballers from The Boot.
Here are the rundowns of all the players by alphabetical order, team and when to watch.
Former Lafayette Christian star Jada Richard is among LSU’s three Louisiana natives preparing for this year’s NCAA Tournament. (Photo: Ethan Currie, @ShotByCurrie)
Alphabetical Order
Sanaa Bean, UTSA F — Edna Karr
Izzy Besselman, LSU G — Episcopal-BR
Kali Howard, Jacksonville F — Zachary
Faith Lee, Missouri State F — Ouachita Parish
Jada Richard, LSU G — Lafayette Christian
Angela Williams, James Madison G — Edna Karr (via Shades Valley High, Alabama)
Mikaylah Williams, LSU G — Parkway
Which Teams Have the Most Louisiana Flavor
3 — LSU: Izzy Besselman (Episcopal-BR), Jada Richard (Lafayette Christian), Mikaylah Williams (Parkway)
1 — Jacksonville: Kali Howard (Zachary)
1 — James Madison: Angela Williams (New Orleans native)
1 — Missouri State: Faith Lee (Ouachita Parish)
1 — UTSA: Sanaa Bean (Edna Karr)
Former Ouachita Parish star Faith Lee was the first Louisiana native to earn a victory in this year’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament as Missouri State advanced past Stephen F. Austin in the First Four. (Photo: Courtesy of Missouri State Creative Services)
When to Watch + Details
Faith Lee — No. 16 Missouri State vs. No. 1 Texas — Friday, 3 p.m.
The former Ouachita Parish star, who transferred this year from Little Rock, and her Missouri State team actually got underway Wednesday with an 85-75 First Four win against Stephen F. Austin already under their belt heading into the Round of 64. Lee finished with 10 points, two rebounds, an assists and no turnovers with the Lady Bears’ best plus/minus (+14) in the win — rising to the occasion and surpassing her season averages of 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.8 steals. Next up, Missouri State will aim for an upset of No. 1 Texas, with the winner advancing to face No. 8 Oregon or No. 9 Virginia Tech on Sunday.
Mikaylah Williams, Jada Richard, Izzy Besselman vs. Kali Howard — No. 2 LSU vs. No. 15 Jacksonville — Friday, 5 p.m.
Williams and Richard are the stars of the Louisiana representation in the field as two of the starters and most-productive players for the always title-minded Lady Tigers. Williams, the junior out of Parkway, is the team’s top 3-pointer shooter (42.1%) and among the leaders with 13.6 points (third), 5.3 rebounds (fourth), 3.5 assists (second) and 1.4 steals (second). Meanwhile Richard, the sophomore out of Lafayette Christian, has made a huge jump in her second college season with 9.4 points (fifth), 2.8 rebounds (eighth), 3.3 assists (third), 1.3 steals (third) and is right on Williams’ heels at 41.4% shooting from deep, second-best on the Lady Tigers who have attempted more than three this season. Besselman, the senior who prepped across town at Episcopal-BR, has been sidelined the past two seasons by a battle with inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST), helping support her teammates and coaches in other capacities, but only being able to retake the court briefly during team’s senior night Feb. 26. Howard, the senior forward out of Zachary, started 13 games early this season for Jacksonville before reportedly suffering a season-ending injury in early January. Her 7.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game remain among the team’s best averages in her limited action overall. The LSU-Jacksonville winner will face No. 7 Texas Tech or No. 10 Villanova on Sunday.
James Madison wing Angela Williams, a New Orleans native who began high school at Edna Karr, is one of seven Louisiana representatives on NCAA Tournament rosters this year. (Photo: Courtesy of JMU Athletics Photography)
Angela Williams — No. 12 James Madison vs. No. 5 Kentucky — Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Williams, who began her high school career at Edna Karr before moving to Alabama, has been consistent presence in the Lady Dukes’ rotation each of her two seasons on campus. As a sophomore, she has participated in 31 games and averaged 3.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.5 blocked shots and scored in double-figures off the bench five times, most recently in the Sun Belt Conference tournament quarterfinals. James Madison and Kentucky will square off Saturday for the right to advance and face the winner of No. 4 West Virginia and No. 13 Miami (Ohio).
Sanaa Bean — No. 16 UTSA vs. No. 1 Connecticut — Saturday, 2 p.m.
The freshman forward has already been a consistent presence on the court for UTSA in just her first season as one of just five Lady Roadrunners to appear in all 33 games this season. Bean averages 8.8 minutes per contest with 1.4 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocked shots. Her 17 total blocked shots rank fourth on the team even in her limited minutes-per-appearance relative to the team leaders. UTSA will face the bluest-blood of programs out the game in top-seeded UConn. The winner will see either No. 8 Iowa State of No. 9 Syracuse in the second round.
