Hailey Van Lith recorded her sixth game of the season with fewer than 10 points on Monday. She finished with four points, two assists and two steals in 31 minutes during an upset loss to her former coach while going 1-for-6 from the field and 0-for-4 from beyond the arc.
No. 9-ranked LSU dropped its fourth game of the year at Mississippi State. The Bulldogs defeated the reigning national champions 77-73 in front of a raucous home crowd.
Hailey Van Lith transferred south during the offseason after three years at Louisville. She shared a special moment in pregame with her former assistant coach Sam Purcell, who is now the head coach in Starkville.
Unfortunately, the 5-foot-7 senior was unable to take it to him. She struggled to find any rhythm, which continues to be a theme this season.
Her role with the Bayou Bengals has yet to click and Van Lith is visibly frustrated.
LSU called a timeout, down by six with 37.3 seconds left in the game. Kim Mulkey called her team over to talk through the play.
Van Lith looked baffled. It appeared as though she either was confused by what was supposed to happen or did not understand why she wasn’t getting the ball.
Im Dying 😂😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/pxyI1ukFUR pic.twitter.com/iVBsxjyJaz
— Future Of The Retro (@TraeK_) January 30, 2024
Unfortunately, we may never know what led Van Lith to make the faces that she made. Was she questioning Mulkey’s play call? Was she trying to understand her role in the play?
Neither the head coach nor her star transfer (who has struggled to find much success with her new team) addressed the confusion. Mulkey was equally as candid as feisty during her press conference, which is typically the case, but she did not provide any clarity on the late-game exchange.
Perhaps someone in Baton Rouge will follow-up on the now-viral clip when the Tigers get back to practice later this week. They have a bye and will take Tuesday and Wednesday off.