LSU head coach Kim Mulkey didn’t mince words following her Tigers’ 79-72 loss to South Carolina, pinpointing exactly where the game slipped away while praising her young roster’s fight in a hostile environment.
The Free Throw Line: Where Championships Are Lost
When asked about unusual pregame warmup timing, Mulkey initially said she wasn’t aware of any extended court time but would investigate. “They’re supposed to be out there one hour ahead of time, doing about ten minutes of shooting,” she noted, though players later confirmed they followed their standard routine.
The conversation quickly shifted to Flau’jae Johnson’s missed free throws in the final seconds, but Mulkey broadened the lens considerably.
“The same thing, I think of her every time I get to coach her, what a blessing it is to have her. Now you will focus on those last two free throws; we missed nine. There’s your difference in the ball game. Look at the stat sheet, we scored the same number of field goals. We outrebounded them nine, and we were 14 of 23 from the foul line. That’s where the game was lost: make your free throws, you win,” Mulkey declared emphatically.
Pressed on why a typically reliable free-throw shooting team faltered, Mulkey offered a touch of dark humor: “I’m not really sure. If I knew that, I’d be in psychology. I have no idea. Got to the free throw line, so reward yourself, reward yourself.”
Bella Hines Earns Her Coach’s Respect
One bright spot emerged in the third quarter when Mulkey inserted freshman Bella Hines into the rotation. Her impact was immediate and notable.
“I saw a kid who I need to play more. She needs to take away some of the minutes of some of them because she got out there and guarded Tessa (Johnson). She wasn’t afraid to bow up to her, and she made shots. She had a lot of energy and effort; she has my respect,” Mulkey said.
The comment carried weight—an acknowledgment that Hines’ fearless approach against one of the SEC’s hottest scorers earned her expanded opportunities going forward.
Dominant Rebounding, Yet Still a Loss
LSU outrebounded South Carolina by nine, typically a recipe for victory. Mulkey praised Amiya Joyner’s performance on the glass specifically.
“Rebound the ball. She gave us many opportunities. She battled in there; she rebounded the ball. She had the big girl for South Carolina, 11 (Madina Okot). Both those kids, they were rebounders, and they both had double-figure rebounds. She played a really, really good game. I thought the crowd was outstanding; it was pretty loud in there.”
Yet the statistical advantage couldn’t overcome the charity stripe disaster.
“I liked everything we did, except I didn’t like the way we guarded Tessa. We didn’t do what we were told to do for three days. You can’t do anything about free throws, and if you look at the stat sheet, I can’t be too critical of many things. We didn’t turn it over much, but we outrebounded them. We got to the foul line more than them. We’re not two for 12 from three, and we still had a chance to win the ball game. 44 seconds to go, you take the lead and make one defensive stop, and we’re sitting here celebrating. This game is tough,” Mulkey explained.
She returned repeatedly to the same theme: “And you, if you did get that many rebounds. You would think you’re going to win. But that’s not the only thing. When I look at that stat sheet, ours is so good. Well, why’d you lose, coach? Because of the free throws.”
Offensive Struggles Beyond the Stripe
The stat sheet revealed other troubling numbers. Mikaylah Williams went 5-for-12, Jada Richard managed just 1-for-10, and MiLaysia Fulwiley shot 1-for-8. Despite those inefficiencies, LSU remained competitive.
“Look, Mikaylah five for 12, Jada (Richard) one for 10, (MiLaysia Fulwiley) one for eight, and you still had a chance to win the game. I thought (Amiya Joyner) played one of her finer games. Bella came in and gave us a spark. Got to move on, get ready for the next game,” Mulkey said.
Regarding Richard’s struggles while defending experienced guards like Raven Johnson: “Jada had to guard several of them on the perimeter. Jada is just going to continue to get better and better. She had some open looks that she normally knocks down, and she didn’t. I thought for the most part, she’s trying to grow and lead us as a point guard. Make the right pass to the right people. Jada is a good player; she’s just a sophomore out there guarding seniors. She’s guarded some really good players in our league this year, and I think that’s going to be so valuable to her as she continues to play at this level.”
When asked about nine missed free throws and ten missed layups, Mulkey referenced earlier conversations with her team about cumulative mistakes.
“I might’ve shared it with you guys a couple of months ago. It’s only one possession coach. Don’t get all upset because I failed to block out or on this free throw, or I had that turnover. They all add up. We really, really had an opportunity to win this game tonight.”
The Fulwiley Factor
Addressing MiLaysia Fulwiley’s return against her former team, Mulkey said she didn’t have an isolated conversation with the transfer but coached her through the moment.
“I didn’t just sit with her and have a one-on-one conversation. I think I just coached her in front of her teammates, and I hope she has butterflies because if she has butterflies, it means she’s invested in this program, and she’s excited. Don’t try to do too much. Just play. I thought she did typical Fulwiley. Give you some outstanding plays, stripped Raven early in the game. Got some layups, but then she turned it over. And that’s part of who she is. We’ve got to continue to make positives be pluses when she’s in the ballgame and not minuses because she has tremendous quickness. She has just things that she does naturally.”
Faith in the Freshman Class
Despite the loss, Mulkey expressed confidence in her young core’s future potential.
“They’re very talented, they’re very competitive. They’re not afraid to fail. They’re very comfortable, and in this day and age, if those kids stay together, they’re going to be very special. But you just never know, but man, I sure am enjoying coaching them.”
Looking Ahead with Competitive Pain
When asked about the locker room’s emotional state, Mulkey hoped the sting would fuel future improvement.
“We’re not in there celebrating. I hope kids are hurting. I hope that if you’re a competitor, you’re hurting individually. And then collectively, it’s our job as coaches when we get back on the practice floor to make sure we get them back in the right mindset to keep winning a few more basketball games. We’ll see, we’ll see. They’ve done it all year, so I hope that they’ll continue to do it as we finish February and head into March Madness.”
Her assessment of the season so far carried measured optimism: “Look at the four losses. Probably, and go from there. And go, what did we do in each of those games to lose the game? Teach them the game, lift them back up, keep them confident. But eight new players, whatever we are, 20-something and four. My assessment would be to keep doing what you’re doing; we’re this close to winning in some of those games against people you’re not supposed to beat.”
She referenced LSU’s victory over Texas at home as evidence of the team’s capability to compete with elite programs.
“And we did this year. I mean, didn’t we beat Texas here? We weren’t supposed to win that game. So just keep plugging away, stay in the right mindset, and understand that there’s a lot of basketball left to be played after the regular season.”
Coaching Decisions Under the Microscope
Mulkey also revealed the self-reflection that comes after close losses, particularly regarding substitution patterns with ZaKiyah Johnson.
“No, just a decision. I went with, and then I moved Mikaylah inside. But I do appreciate you asking that because that’s one of the things I think about as a coach, should I have given her, you know, some minutes there. You can’t second-guess yourself now, but I do. I always go back and think about what I could have done to help us win this ball game. Can’t shoot a free throw for them, and I can’t pass it. But I can make the right substitutions and things like that. But we did fine as a coaching staff tonight. The coaching staff was very good, very helpful, very engaged. You’ve got to always make sure you have the right people guarding that. And they go back and look at it and go, why don’t you do some of the things we wanted you to do on Tessa. and hold them accountable. Hold them accountable.”
The message was clear: LSU controlled nearly every statistical category that typically determines winners. But basketball games aren’t won on rebounding margins or field goal percentages alone—they’re decided at the free-throw line when the pressure peaks and legs grow heavy.
For LSU, that’s where this one got away.
