The LSU Tigers have had a couple of freshman in the regular rotation this season as the team has reached the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive year. One of those freshman who’s been able to carve out a consistent role for LSU during March Madness is Grace Knox.

Knox arrived at LSU as a West Coast recruit, having played her final two seasons of high school basketball at Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. She helped lead the Lady Eagles to back-to-back CIF state championships in 2024 and 2025.

Coming to LSU and playing for a coach like Kim Mulkey, a coach who expects hard work and dedication, was something that Knox believes she was prepared for after playing for Coach Stan Delus during her time at Etiwanda. Her freshman season has almost been like an extension of that.

“I think just the intensity he installs in his players, and focusing. I think it definitely intensifies when you get to college because it’s way more serious. It’s more business-like,” Knox told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “I think he definitely prepared me in the way of just having the right mindset, having the right mentality and just not giving up. I feel like that’s a big part because there’s so many different areas you can give up on, and I think just having that mental strength and durability helped me a lot.”

Grace Knox’s impact for LSU

Of the three freshman that are averaging double-digits in minutes played for LSU, Grace Knox is second at 18.4 minutes. That’s right behind ZaKiyah Johnson’s 19.3 and just ahead of Bella Hines’ 13.2. Part of the reason why Knox has been able to make an impact right away is her physical profile.

Players are stronger and faster in college than they were in high school. Knox is a phenomenal athlete with good size and strength as a forward. It’s helped her on both ends of the court. Offensively, she can finish through contact and is explosive around the basket. Defensively, she protects the paint and alters shots with her length.

Although Knox is mobile, getting up to par with the speed of the game has been one of the biggest adjustments she’s made as a freshman. She’s one of the most athletic players on LSU’s roster, but even she had to gear up to another level to get ready for college basketball.

“The biggest adjustment was probably the speed of the game, and then just playing my part,” Knox said. “Just knowing what my role is and fitting into it the best I can to make an impact for the team, and to have us go as far as we can in the tournament.”

One of the biggest ways that Grace Knox has been able to make an impact for LSU is on the glass. She’s top-five on the team in rebounding at 4.6. But one of the things that stands out the most is her ability to get second chance opportunities and keep possessions alive.

Almost half of Knox’s rebounds this season have come on the offensive end. She’s averaging 2.6 defensive rebounds and 2.0 offensive rebounds. To put it a little more in perspective, of her 146 total rebounds this season, 82 have come on the defensive end while 64 have been offensively.

Knox knows how to position herself in the paint for rebounding angles, but she also chalks up her prowess on the glass to simply not giving up on plays. Just using her motor to outwork her opponent.

“Just being relentless. It’s something our coach, Bob Starkey, emphasizes a lot with us the whole year. Just being relentless and knowing that you’re putting your all into everything. Rebounds is a big part of what we do,” Knox said. “It’s not just me, it’s Kate [Koval], ZaKiyah [Johnson]. Just being able to have that intensity to know that nobody else is gonna go get this ball, I got to go get it, has definitely been a big part of my mentality. No matter what, I got to go get this for my team, not just for me. Just being selfless.”

In today’s game, frontcourt players and bigs have had to be a little more versatile than they have in the past. And that doesn’t just mean being floor-spacers and shooting the 3-point shot consistently. It extends to the decision-making aspect of the game.

For Knox, that’s manifested in being able to thrive in short-roll situations. Being able to read the defense and make the right decision. That’s often come with recognizing shooters in the corner when the defense collapses. Knox is an efficient threat around the basket, opposing defenders need to account for her when she’s near the paint.

Being able to make those quick reads when being defended is something that Knox worked on before she got to LSU. Her vision and ability to see the court has contributed to that development.

“It’s definitely developed since the summer, since I’ve been here. I think just having the knowledge and ability to know where everybody is on defense,” Knox said. “We’ve gone over so much in practice, just our mistakes in other games, fixing them, and fixing them and going over it. I feel like it’s just become more habit and more natural, and that’s definitely what we need. Just to be on the same page. We’re all tied on a string and I feel like it’s been showing for us. I hope it continues to show.”

LSU has made strong March Madness runs the past couple of seasons. The Tigers won the national championship in 2023, and have reached the Elite Eight in each of the subsequent seasons. They are in the Sweet 16 this season, with Duke as their opponent, and hopes of making it further in the tournament.

This is Grace Knox’s first time experiencing March Madness and all the emotions that come with it. While it’s natural to feel a little nervousness, it’s been an overall good experience for the freshman so far.

“I’m excited. I feel like I haven’t been as nervous as I thought I would. I think my teammates have probably helped with that a lot,” Knox said. “We’re just exited to play. We want to keep playing, we want to win. And it makes it really fun for me and enjoyable. I enjoy being around my teammates.”