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Kim Mulkey made headlines once again in an NCAA Tournament loss to UCLA on Sunday. The Tigers fell 72-65 in the Elite Eight, officially ending the LSU season.
The head coach enraged viewers both during and after the contest. A large portion of college basketball followers was happy to see her eliminated from national title contention.
Mulkey is one of the most polarizing figures in women’s hoops. She’s often been combative with the media. Her sideline antics are frequently criticized. She can come off a bit cantankerous to those outside her program.
With that being said, many of her players love her. She’s been able to recruit and succeed at a high level. That success has been sustained at every stop as she’s racked up championships at both LSU and Baylor.
“Coach Mulkey challenged me to be a better person. To be a better player. She challenged me to be able to make it in the real world.”
-Aneesah Morrow after LSU’s NCAA Tournament loss
Unfortunately, a title wasn’t in the cards this year. The Tigers were unable to best one-seed UCLA. The Bruins are now off to their first ever Final Four. LSU will head home.
During a key moment in that loss, Kim Mulkey sparked controversy. She was seen standing away from the bench and on the court as a loose ball rolled her way. Rather than get out of the way, it seemed she wanted to make herself a part of the play.
This horrific call, giving the ball to UCLA, ended all of the momentum LSU had. Brutal. pic.twitter.com/NBsjDKOaqb
— Joshua Sánchez (@jnsanchez) March 30, 2025
Viewers were shocked she didn’t receive a technical foul. We’ve seen coaches T’d up for less!
In the grand scheme of things, a technical foul would’ve had little impact on the outcome. UCLA won somewhat comfortably after leading the entire second half of action. Mulkey took her frustrations from the defeat out on a student reporter in the postgame press conference.
Kim Mulkey mocked a young media member after her March Madness loss.
The reporter asking the question was Jayden Smith of KLSU Sports, a student-run radio station at the university. Smith pressed Mulkey on her inability to reach the Final Four for a second straight year. She responded by asking, “How many Final Fours have you played in?”
The question probably could’ve been phrased a bit better. Smith’s quip about the Elite Eight loss being “terrible” certainly didn’t land. Still, a head coach of 25 years is expected to respond in a more professional manner.
Kim Mulkey took the low road when answering the student reporter. The awkward exchange has since gone viral. LSU will return to Baton Rouge after falling in the Elite Eight for a second straight season. Mulkey can start to build for the future in hopes of avoiding a similar outcome next spring.