LSU's Johnson to miss SEC tournament with shin inflammation

LSU star Flau'jae Johnson will sit out the SEC tournament due to shin inflammation, head coach Kim Mulkey told the team's radio station Sunday, per ESPN's Kendra Andrews.

Johnson, 21, has been dealing with the issue since LSU's game against Texas on Feb. 16. She missed the second game of her college career Sunday, when the Tigers lost 85-77 against Ole Miss.

"It's not a stress fracture or anything like that," Mulkey said pregame. "It's just rest. We'll get that inflammation down, and we'll see the Flau'jae that we need to see when we start (the NCAA tourney)."

Johnson ranks sixth in scoring in the SEC (18.9 points per game) and boasts impressive 46.5/37.2/80.0 shooting splits. She had her worst game of the campaign in Thursday's overtime loss to Alabama when she posted just six points on 2-of-12 shooting.

"I don't think Flau'jae's best basketball has happened in the last couple of weeks," Mulkey said.

The SEC tournament is scheduled to begin Wednesday in South Carolina.

LSU is No. 7 in the AP Poll with a 27-4 record.