Kim Mulkey talks about LSU turning a disastrous start into a defiant road win originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kim Mulkey did not hide from how rough LSU’s start was at Duke. The Tigers trailed 14 to 1, stunned by an early Blue Devils surge that looked nothing like what LSU had prepared for.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“That is as good as I have seen them play all year. They jumped on us like white on rice,” Mulkey said during her postgame press conference.
Her frustration with the opening minutes was direct.
“I thought we were poor in transition defense early. They got some second chance points. We did not grab rebounds. They really came out smoking.”
But what mattered to Mulkey was what came next, the response, the steadiness, and the refusal to chase the game.
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“You cannot get all those points back quickly. Just stay the course, keep grinding, keep getting better, keep defending.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementShe credited LSU’s depth for flipping the momentum and stabilizing a roster loaded with newcomers.
“This team really does have a lot of depth. I think I played everybody except two players and I could have put them in but I did not.”
Mulkey also pointed to the environment and the support that traveled with LSU into one of the sport’s most historic arenas.
“Look at those fans. Look how many fans we had and how loud they were.”
Even with that backing she stressed the mental side of the night.
“A lot of my players have never been to Duke or played in this arena.”
As the Tigers settled in and ultimately rolled to a 93-77 victory. Mulkey reminded everyone that LSU’s (9-0) offense is never the concern.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“We can score a lot of points. Scoring the ball is not going to be a problem…We have to just continue to get better on the defensive end, take care of the ball.”
She circled back to LSU’s balance as the backbone of their comeback.
“We do not have the one superstar that we are going to feed every time down the floor. We are not afraid to share the ball and run quick hitters for different players.”
And as she looked ahead, Mulkey delivered the final truth about what awaits in conference play.
“Our league is brutal. But if we keep getting better defensively and stop helping teams with our mistakes we are going to be fine.”
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