Kim Mulkey, head coach of LSU’s women’s basketball team, faced a challenging moment in the aftermath of her team’s narrow 72-65 defeat to UCLA in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Elite Eight. This loss marked the second consecutive year that her squad came up just short of the coveted Final Four spot.
LSU, a formidable No. 3 seed in the Spokane Region, had a hard-fought game against the top-seeded UCLA. Despite having clinched the national title in 2023, the Tigers found themselves once again halted in the same round last year against Iowa, led by standout Caitlin Clark, and now the Bruins.
In the post-game press conference, emotions ran high when Jayden Smith from KLSU Sports brought up the team’s back-to-back Elite Eight exits. Mid-question, Mulkey interjected with a pointed retort, asking, “That’s terrible, isn’t it?” The brief exchange carried a mixture of tension and deflection, with Mulkey playfully questioning Smith on his own Final Four experience, hinting at the prestige of even reaching that stage.
Mulkey’s reaction comes as no surprise. The weight of expectations is hefty when you’re at the helm of a program like LSU—a team steeped in a tradition of excellence under her leadership both at Baylor and LSU. When a team of this caliber falls short of the Final Four, it naturally invites scrutiny and reflection.
Asking about the missed Final Four appearances might have hit a nerve, yet it remains a valid question. In the high-stakes world of college basketball, reaching the Final Four is not just a milestone but a benchmark of success.
Mulkey’s track record of steering teams to national championships heightens the stakes, making any season without advancement to the Final Four feel like unfinished business. For LSU and Mulkey, the journey continues, fueled by both past triumphs and present challenges.
