Over the weekend, Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers fell to Dawn Staley’s South Carolina 79-72. The game was punctuated by a brief moment in which Mulkey seemed to lose her temper at the officials calling the game. In particular, she seemed angry at the main official for not giving Bella Hines a call in the third quarter of the encounter.
After the initial dispute, she called a time-out during which the broadcast focused on her, and she could be seen muttering:
“that f**ker cost me a Final Four”
It was reported that this Saturday’s referee was the same one who officiated a game between Baylor and Oregon State at the Elite 8 round in 2016, while Mulkey was the Bears’ coach.
This is not unlike her, as she frequently has verbal spars with officials, and she’s known for speaking her mind. However, the incident was surprising for showing that the LSU Tigers head coach is able to hold a grudge for a decade.
Kim Mulkey’s 2024 Beef With Officials After the SEC Championship
In 2024, the LSU Tigers of Kim Mulkey also faced the South Carolina Gamecocks of Dawn Staley at the SEC championship game at that time. Interestingly, they fell in the same manner, 79-72, that year, with Staley’s team on its way to a national championship.
At the time, Mulkey was also of the opinion that LSU’s defeat was down to the officials’ actions on the court. Shortly after the defeat, she spoke with the media and said:
“Do you realize there had been only one foul called when there were two minutes left?” Mulkey asked after the game, per SportsTalk Media Network. “The way we play? We’re going to foul your a–. They’re going to foul your a–. You only blew the whistle one time? That might have created some of that.”
The game had a controversial incident toward the end, with LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson fouling MiLaysia Fulwiley and Ashlyn Watkins. She was then fouled by South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso. This led to several ejections.
Her opinion at the time was that the officials could have managed the game’s atmosphere better with more fouls called on earlier.
Read more:
Dawn Staley Salary: How Much Does South Carolina HC Earn With Gamecocks?
Can Kim Mulkey’s LSU Pull Off An Upset Against Texas? Breaking Down The Key Matchups
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