LSU’s Kim Mulkey Doubles Down on Controversial Reaction to Scuffle With South Carolina

The Tigers coach saw nothing wrong with her comments after the late fracas in the SEC championship game.

LSU Tigers coach Kim Mulkey delivered a jarringly bold take after her team’s involvement in a fourth quarter scuffle in the women’s SEC tournament final against South Carolina over the weekend.

On Tuesday, Mulkey refused to back down from her stance and instead gave an unashamed response to those criticizing her postgame comments from Sunday night.

“I am what I am,” Mulkey told ESPN 104.5 FM show Off the Bench. “I have no ill intentions. I have no agenda. I speak from my heart. I speak from my life experiences. And people like it or don’t like it. I have nothing, nothing whatsoever in my heart to harm anybody, but I fight like hell. That’s who I am.”

LSU coach Kim Mulkey once again addressed the late-game scuffle between her team and South Carolina :: Jim Dedmon/USA TODAY

Following LSU’s 79–72 loss to South Carolina on Sunday, Mulkey railed at the game’s officiating and had a peppery take on the late skirmish between South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso and LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson that led to both benches being ejected.

“No one wants to be a part of that. No one wants to see that ugliness,” said Mulkey. “But I can tell you this; I wish she would’ve pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a kid—you’re 6’8”—don’t push somebody that little. That was uncalled for in my opinion.”

With just over two minutes left in the game, Cardoso shoved Johnson to the ground after Johnson elbowed a South Carolina player on her way to the bench. Cardoso was ejected and will be suspended for the Gamecocks’ first game of the NCAA tournament.

Mulkey’s combative words after the scrappy incident had many scratching their heads and heavily contrasted with Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley’s graceful apology.

Staley’s Gamecocks beat Mulkey’s LSU for the fourth straight time on Sunday and secured the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.