Da Boot Sports
9/30/2021
By: Terrill J. Weil


   BATON ROUGE, LA: “This is the first official practice. I have been on the floor with them six times, two hours each time. I think it’s too early to give my assessment of returning players and new players, but I can tell you during those six practices that we had, I saw young people that wanted to do good. They wanted to impress me. They played hard.” Stated the first year LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey before their first official practice in front of fans and media on Wednesday afternoon. 

   Coach Mulkey mentioned that there would be several former players in attendance at the practice. "We're going to have former players at practice today, those are players who go back to the Sue Gunter days, those are players that recently finished, some are WNBA players. To have them come to practice speaks volumes. I think the history of women's basketball at LSU speaks for itself. Those five Final Fours were phenomenal, it was exciting during that era." Mulkey said. "We from a distance was a part of understanding and appreciating what they were doing here because you know we played them in 2005 in the semi-finals of the Final Four. So being from Louisiana, I'm always keeping up with the State. I know the history here. I know the history of women's basketball at LSU. I know the history of good players in Louisiana. It's exciting for me, but a lot of young people don't know that history. So when you recruit, you must sell those players, you must sell the history, you must sell the coaches that came before me and we will do that. Our theme for the year will be, .. 'Respect the Pass and Embrace the Future'.."

   When asked about the leadership of graduate student Khayla Pointer, Mulkey would add. "From my perspective I think she's doing great. Great in recruiting when we've had recruits on campus. Obviously because she's older and this is her COVID year, she can tell more about LSU probably more then we can as a coaching staff. She is Niki Fargas' niece, so she has a great love for the previous staff, but she also embraces the new staff. She is a ALL-Conference player. She is a leader out there on the floor. But she's learning. It's a new system for her. But she will be one of our leaders as will Faust and Jailin Cherry."

   "We have goals." said Mulkey. "and our goals are in their notebooks and in fact when I leave from speaking with you guys, I'll go in that locker room and we will be reminded of those goals. So when we step on that floor today, this is why we're playing. Those goals will be realistic. They will not be unrealistic. Now I know how fans are. Listen, everyone wants everything yesterday. It doesn't work that way. It is a long process to get where you want to go. It may not happen as quick as we would like it. It might happen quicker then we thought. I don't know. I can't project that. All I know is that I can go out there and coach those kids that I have inherited, those kids that came with me and let's see what we can do together."

   The Tigers have nine players returning from last season's team along with six first-year players. Guard Khayla Pointer will return for her COVID season and will no doubt continue to be a team leader. Last season she was named All-SEC and made the  SEC All-Defensive team last season.   
   Sophomore Center Hannah Gusters, followed Mulkey from Baylor after recording six double-figure scoring games last season for the Bears.
  Another nice addition to the team is Amani Bartlett who signed with the Tigers after LSU hired Mulkey. She is a graduate transfer from Vanderbilt.

   Wednesday’s practice placed a heavy emphasis on defensive rotations, crashing the defensive glass, getting out on the fast break and transitioning into a half-court offense. The practice concluded with the Tigers matching up in halfcourt five-on-five. LSU will practice 29 more times leading up to its season opener against Nicholls.

   Before the Lady Tigers tip-off the season, they will host two exhibition games which will both be free for fans to attend.  Those games will be against Langston Oct. 30 at 2:00pm and Loyola on Nov. 4 at 6:30pm.

    Get your tickets now Tiger Fans. These games will be fun to attend....   GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Da Boot Sports
9/22/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: LSU Staff


   BATON ROUGE – The first official LSU Women’s Basketball practice under head coach Kim Mulkey, scheduled for Wednesday, September 29, will be open for fans and media to attend on the main floor of the PMAC.The open practice will begin at 2 p.m. CT and fans, who are asked to wear masks while attending the practice, will be able to enter through the PMAC’s lower Southeast and Southwest entrances. When coming to campus next Wednesday, fans will be able to park in lot 104, next to the Bernie Moore Track Stadium.
  Season tickets are still available for the upcoming season which will tip-off when LSU hosts Nicholls at 11 a.m. CT on November 9. Fans are also encouraged to join the Fast Break Club, the official booster club of LSU Women’s Basketball, to help the Tigers succeed on and off the court.
   The Tigers will have two exhibition games which will both be free for fans to attend. LSU is scheduled to host Langston on October 30 at 2 p.m. and Loyola on November 4 at 6 p.m.
   When the LSU Women’s Basketball team suits up for practice next week in preparation of the season, it will be the first official team practice under Coach Mulkey who was introduced as LSU’s head women’s basketball coach in April. The Tigers’ roster features nine players back from last year’s team and six players who will dawn purple and gold for the first time.
  After holding her first official team meeting on August 23, the first day of LSU’s fall semester, Coach Mulkey and her staff have been able to hold workouts with the players. Starting with next Wednesday’s first official practice, the Tigers will be able to practice 30 times prior to their season opener against Nicholls.​

Da Boot Sports
9/8/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Grant Kauvar


   BATON ROUGE – The LSU Women’s Basketball schedule for Head Coach Kim Mulkey’s first season leading the Tigers has been announced.
The schedule will feature 16 home games along with two home exhibition games prior to the start of the season. Season tickets are still available.
The exhibitions, against Langston on Saturday, October 30 and Loyola on Thursday, November 4 will be free for fans to attend.
The Tigers’ schedule features 11 games against teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last season, six of which will be at home in the PMAC.
Coach Mulkey will make her LSU debut on Tuesday, November 9 when the Tigers host Nicholls for an 11 a.m. CT showdown. The game will serve as the Tigers’ annual field trip game where LSU will host elementary and middle school kids from Baton Rouge and the surrounding parishes.
The Tigers will then host Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday, November 14 at 12:30 p.m. before heading to Lafayette to face ULL in its first road challenge of the season on Thursday November 18 at 6 p.m. The Tigers will host Tulane on Tuesday, November 23 at 6 p.m.
LSU will spend Thanksgiving in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the San Juan Shootout. The Tigers will have two games in the capitol city of Puerto Rico, beginning with New Mexico State on Friday, November 26 at 1:30 p.m. CT. The following day LSU will face Missouri State at 11:15 a.m., a team that made a Sweet 16 run last season.
Returning to Baton Rouge, LSU will host Iowa State on Thursday, December 2 in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. The Cyclones made the dance last season, losing to Texas A&M in the second round.
LSU will host its following three games against Texas Southern at 1 p.m. on Sunday December 12, Alcorn State at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 15, and New Orleans at noon on Saturday, December 18.
The Tigers will then head to Florida for the West Palm Beach Invitational. In the first of two games, LSU will take on Clemson Monday, December 20 at 4:45 p.m. On Tuesday, December 21 the Tigers will match up against Texas Tech at 2:30 p.m.
LSU will conclude its non-conference schedule when it hosts Samford on Monday, December 27 at 6 p.m.
The SEC schedule will be 16 games and LSU will have home-and-homes against Florida, Georgia and Texas A&M. Official times have not yet been released for conference play and will come at a later date. The television schedule will also be released at a later time, but every game will at least be streamed via ESPN+.
Out of the gate to begin conference play, LSU will face three NCAA Tournament teams from a season ago.
The Tigers will open SEC play when they travel to Athens, Georgia to face the Bulldogs on Thursday, December 30. Georgia reached the second round of the tournament last season before being defeated by Oregon.
In the SEC home opener on Sunday, January 2 the Tigers will face a Texas A&M team that reached the Sweet 16 last season and won the SEC Regular Season title. The Tigers will then welcome South Carolina to Baton Rouge on Sunday, January 6. Last season the Gamecocks won the SEC Tournament and reached the Final Four.
LSU will then travel to Auburn for a game on Sunday, January 9 before returning home to host Missouri on Thursday, January 13 followed by Vanderbilt on Sunday, January 16. The Tigers will have the following week off before resuming play.
After the bye week, the Tigers will hit the road to Gainesville to face Florida on Monday, January 24. From there, LSU will be hosted by Arkansas on Thursday, January 27 in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks had a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament last season.
The Tigers will return home for one game to host Kentucky on Sunday, January 30 before its second bye-week.  LSU will pick up play on Monday, February 7 when it travels to Oxford to face Ole Miss.
LSU will take on Georgia at home next on Thursday, February 10. That weekend the Tigers will go to Bryant-College Station where they will face Texas A&M on Sunday, February 13. LSU will remain on the road and travel to Starkville to square up against Mississippi State on Thursday, February 17.
LSU will host Florida on Sunday, February 20. In their final home game of the season on Thursday, February 24, the Tigers will host Alabama.
The Tigers’ regular season will conclude in Knoxville at Tennessee on Sunday, February 27.
The SEC Tournament will take place in Nashville and will run March 2-6. The NCAA Tournament will start on Friday, March 18 and will conclude on Sunday, April 3 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Da Boot Sports
8/18/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Grant Kauver


   ​BATON ROUGE – LSU Head Women’s Basketball Coach Kim Mulkey announced on Wednesday that she has finalized her staff ahead of her first season leading the Tigers.
Mulkey, the fastest head coach in Division I history to reach 600 wins (needing only 700 games), was announced as LSU’s eighth head women’s basketball coach in April. Since her hiring, Coach Mulkey has stressed the importance of having a strong support staff around her and that is now in place.
Season tickets for the 2021-22 season are available.
The staff Coach Mulkey has built will feature Sytia Messer as her associate head coach with Daphne Mitchell and Kaylin Rice as assistant coaches. Johnny Derrick will serve as the assistant athletic director of women’s basketball operations, Jennifer Roberts will be the director of women’s basketball and player Personnel and Chante’ Crutchfield will be the assistant director for women’s basketball and will aid in the Tigers’ recruiting efforts. Joe Schwartz and Jordin Westbrook will work as assistant directors of women’s basketball operations. Renee Braud will be the administrative coordinator.

Sytia Messer
Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach
Coach Mulkey named Messer as her associate head coach in June. After working together for eight years at Baylor, they have reunited in Baton Rouge. In their time coaching together in Waco, the Lady Bears posted a combined 260-23 record and won 14 Big 12 titles and captured the 2019 NCAA Championship.
Messer will work with all positions on the floor and will also oversee scouting and recruiting. During her time at Baylor, Messer helped the Lady Bears sign the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class in both 2016 and 2018 as well as No. 4 ranked classes two other times.
Messer, a former head coach at Tennessee Tech (2009-12) and the 2011 Ohio Valley Coach of the Year, was a standout player at Arkansas where she helped the Razorbacks reach the Final Four for the first time in school history in 1998.

Daphne Mitchell
Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach
Daphne Mitchell spent the past six years at Baylor working in an operations role and assisting in the areas of recruiting, social media, scouting and game preparation. The Lady Bears reached the Elite Eight in five of the six full seasons Mitchell was there, including the 2019 NCAA Championship.
Mitchell will step back into an on-court role with Tigers after working within operations at Baylor. She will coach the post players and help in scouting opponents. Prior to her stint at Baylor, she spent two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Murray State and also has coaching experience at Jacksonville and Tennessee Tech. Daphne was a student-athlete at Georgia Tech from 2004-08.

Kaylin Rice
Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach
Like Messer, Rice also served as an assistant coach under Coach Mulkey at Baylor. She will coach the guards, handle scouting duties and help in the program’s recruiting efforts. Prior to the 2019 season, Rice moved from an operations position at Baylor into a coaching role. At the time of her hire, Rice was 26 and was the youngest active coach in the Big 12 and the second youngest in the six major Division 1 conferences. In March of 2020, she was named to the WBCA’s prestigious list of ‘Thirty Under 30,’ which recognizes up-and-coming assistant coaches in women’s basketball that exemplify involvement in community service, mentorship, impact on players, professional manner, attitude and professional association involvement.
Rice began as a student manager at Baylor in 2012, a position she held for four years before she moved into a graduate assistant position within the program. After she earned her Master’s in 2017, Rice moved into her operations role with the Lady Bears. Throughout her time at Baylor, the Lady Bears reached two Sweet 16s, five Elite Eights and won two National Championships.

Johnny Derrick
Assistant Athletic Director of Women’s Basketball Operations
As the assistant athletic director of women’s basketball operations, Derrick will continue in the same role he served on Coach Mulkey’s staff at Baylor. Derrick joined Mulkey at the start of her career in Waco prior to the 2000 season, serving as an assistant coach his first seven years before moving into a position within operations. During those 21 years, he was part of a staff that won three National Championships and 23 Big 12 titles.
A native of Dubach, Louisiana, Derrick will handle the program’s business responsibilities, including budget management, opponent scheduling and team travel.  He also serves as the liaison between the women’s basketball staff and the Fast Break Club, the booster club for LSU Women’s Basketball.  He has worked closely with the booster clubs at the collegiate level for many years and looks forward to working with LSU boosters and Tiger fans

Jennifer Roberts
Director of Women’s Basketball and Player Personnel
This is the second time Roberts has followed Coach Mulkey to a new job. The two worked together at Louisiana Tech where Mulkey was an associate head coach and Roberts was an assistant to the athletic director. When Mulkey took the head coaching job at Baylor, she brought Roberts in as an assistant coach and Roberts played a crucial role in the program’s rapid rise to national prominence before she moved into an operations role.
As a coach, she was one of Baylor’s top recruiters and helped land three Top 25 classes, which played a large role in Baylor’s then-three Sweet 16 appearances and the 2005 NCAA National Championship.
Serving as the teams academic liaison at Baylor, Roberts ushered the program to a 100-percent graduation rate for players that finished their academic eligibility with the school. As the Coordinator for Operations under Coach Mulkey, Roberts had numerous other duties as well such as handling player appearances, serving as the team’s liaison for external projects, supervising the team managers and working with Coach Mulkey on her public appearances. Following Baylor’s 2019 National Championship, Roberts spearheaded the team’s locker room overhaul and design.

Jordin Westbrook
Assistant Director of Women’s Basketball Operation
Westbrook’s experience of working under Coach Mulkey dates back to her time as a student manager for the Lady Bears from 2009-13. After a year of working at the Waco Methodist Home and coaching basketball and track, Westbrook returned to Baylor to go back to school and was a graduate assistant for SMG at Baylor’s McLane Stadium where Westbrook oversaw the daily function of McLane Stadium as it related to Baylor athletic events, outside special events, safety and security and its tenants. She ultimately secured a full-time position with SMG.
Westbrook returned to the Baylor Women’s Basketball program in 2019 as the Associate Director of Operations. At that time, she began to work closely with Derrick and Roberts to conduct administrative and business duties for the team.

Chante’ Crutchfield
Assistant Director of Women’s Basketball Operations/Recruiting
After being hired as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Texas State in June, Crutchfield has joined Coach Mulkey’s staff in Baton Rouge. She will assist in recruiting, prepare game film and scout opponents for the Tigers.
Crutchfield was a graduate assistant on Coach Mulkey’s first staff at Baylor and played a key role in helping lay the foundation for what Mulkey ultimately built in Waco. Crutchfield has experience as a recruiting coordinator, a position she held at Southeast Missouri where she signed multiple ESPN Top 100 recruits. She will help in the operations of the program and will also assist in recruiting
As a high school coach, Crutchfield helped develop Teaira McCowan who was a highly sought after recruit that became a superstar in the SEC. McCowan set records at Mississippi State and went on to be the third overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft.

Joe Schwartz
Assistant Director of Women’s Basketball Operations
Schwartz previously worked with both the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, where he was a service associate and assisted with daily internal operations for both franchises and provided account management for season ticket holders. He was a four-year letter winner as a member of the University of Texas basketball program.
Schwartz will create graphic design content related to recruiting efforts. In addition he will organize the Dream Team for LSU Women’s Basketball, a practice squad that will compete against the Tigers in preparing for competition. He will also assist in all on-campus recruiting matters, video coordination, basketball camps and he will help track stats and analytics.

Renee Braud
Administrative Coordinator
Braud is a long-time member of the LSU Athletic Department. She is responsible for all of the day-to-day operations of the women’s basketball office, which includes but is not limited to maintaining Coach Mulkey’s calendar, as well as assisting with managing the summer camps, on-campus recruiting visits, the recruiting database, the postseason banquet and the budget.

6/2/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Michael Bonnette


   BATON ROUGE – Moon Ursin, a 2021 All-Big 12 selection for conference champion Baylor, is transferring to LSU for her final season of basketball, head coach Kim Mulkey announced on Wednesday.
 
Ursin, a native of Destrehan, Louisiana, spent four years at Baylor, scoring 777 points and grabbing 437 rebounds in 127 games. In her four years with Baylor, the Lady Bears posted a 126-8 overall mark and won the national title her sophomore season. Baylor also reached the Elite 8 one time as well as the Sweet 16. They claimed four Big 12 regular season titles and three Big 12 tournament championships during her four years with the Lady Bears.
 
As a senior in 2020-21, Ursin started all 31 games for the 28-3 Lady Bears. Ursin averaged 12.6 points per game and scored a career-best 24 points in Baylor's first round NCAA Tournament win over Jackson State on March 14, 2021.
 
"Just like me, Moon (Ursin) is coming home and we are thrilled to have her join our team," Mulkey said. "Moon is an outstanding player and a wonderful person and she's going to be a great addition to our team. Our fans are going to love watching her play – she can jump out of the gym, she has tremendous speed and quickness and she's just an all-around exceptional athlete."
 
In her four years at Baylor, Ursin was named to the Academic All-Big 12 women's basketball team three times. She was also named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll four times. 
Ursin also served as Baylor's representative in the Big 12 "Champions for Life" campaign in 2019-20 for her work in the community and classroom.
 
Prior to signing with Baylor, Ursin was a prep standout at Destrehan High School, becoming the first player to be named Gatorade Player of the Year for Louisiana three times. She was a two-time Miss Basketball in Louisiana and as well as being named first team All-State three times. She capped her high school career with 2,901 points and led her teams to a combined mark of 121-8.
 
Ursin graduated from Baylor in December of 2020 with a degree in health kinesiology and leisure studies. She will be eligible immediately.

5/1/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Michael Bonnette


​​   BATON ROUGE – Hannah Gusters, a McDonald’s All-America and the No. 2 rated center in high school basketball in 2020, has signed with the LSU women’s basketball program, head coach Kim Mulkey announced on Saturday.
 
Gusters, who transfers to LSU after spending one season at Baylor, will have four years of eligibility remaining and will be immediately eligible for the Tigers. In her one season at Baylor, the
6-foot-5 Gusters was part of a rotation at the post position that included two other All-Americans.
 
“This is a great opportunity to be part of Coach Mulkey’s first team at LSU and to do whatever I can to help bring our program back to the national spotlight,” Gusters said. “I trust Coach Mulkey and I know what she can do. She built the Baylor program from the ground up and I’m just excited to be part of what she’s going to do at LSU.”
 
In her one season with the Lady Bears, Gusters had six double-figure scoring games with a career-high of 22 points coming in a win over Northwestern State. She had a career-best 10 rebounds in a win over Kansas. 
 
“As a McDonald’s All-American, Hannah was one of the top post players coming out of high school a year ago,” Mulkey said. “Tiger fans will love the immediate impact her skillset brings to our front court. Hannah made tremendous strides as a freshman and we look for her to continue that success in Baton Rouge!”
 
Gusters has been invited tryout of for the U.S. Basketball’s 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup Team in two weeks. Tryouts for the 12-player USA U19 team will be held May 14-16 in Denver with competition to take place in August.
 
A native of Dallas, Gusters prepped at MacArthur High School where she was ranked as the nation’s 16th-best prospect as a senior. She earned numerous high school All-America honors included being named to the prestigious McDonald’s All-America Team, the Naismith All-America Team and the Jordan Brand Classic All-America. As a senior, Gusters averaged 22.1 points and 10.3 rebounds and was named Miss Basketball for the state of Texas.
 
Since Mulkey’s hiring on Monday, LSU has received nearly 2,500 deposits for 2021-22 women’s basketball season tickets. Fans wishing to put down a deposit for next year’s LSU women’s basketball season can do so at www.LSUtix.net.

4/27/2021  
By: Terrill J. Weil
Da Boot Sports


   BATON ROUGE, LA:  It was a classic pep rally style type of press conference as LSU officially introduced Kim Mulkey as their new women's basketball head coach Monday afternoon.   As the Hall of Fame coach reached the podium, she would sigh and remove her face mask saying.  "Well I'm gunna take this damn mask off!"  tossing it aside. "Because I have a lot to say. First of all, Kramer's mom has come home." she would announce drawing laughter from all in attendance. 
   
   Maulkey would go on to thank the LSU administration for helping make this happen.  "I've been at Baylor for 21 years of my life. I built that program from the ground up. Can you believe, there is only one other institution I would have left for, and they made the commitment and I'm home."
   
   "I want to thank Scott (Woodward). Scott talks my language. It took a ten minute phone call from him to get me to come to LSU." 
   
   Later in her speech she would ask the few members of the LSU women's basketball team, who were in attendance to stand, telling them, "I want you to see those banners behind you. Final Four, Final Four, Final Four, Final Four. Nowhere on there does it say national champion. ... That's what I came here to do!"  
   
   Maulky would then go on to talk about national championships.  "It doesn't happen overnight. Give it time. Give it time. But I can assure you that's what I came here to do." She would also add, "I don't want you to be misled that I can take a team and overnight play for championships, but I can take a team and make them better each day. As we work with them, we will be able to identify strengths and weaknesses, what we need. Then head out and go get the best talent we can to represent LSU."

   "It's not a secret: I do coach with passion," said the Tickfaw native. "I do coach with intensity. But I think I learned that from the great state of Louisiana. We're fighters." adding,  "I would not have left Baylor for any other school than LSU."  
 
   After answering a few questions from the media she would close the press conference with, "I am proud and I am honored to be your next women's basketball coach.  Thank you for bringing me home.  Thank you for trusting in my abilities. And as Coach O says, Geaux Tigers."

   A source has reported that LSU has sold 1,100 season tickets already..  Great things are ahead for the women's basketball program. Exciting times.....  

Below Photos By: Michael Bacigalupi

Photos By: LSUsports.net

​Several readers thought it was crazy to suggest, some saying it would never, ever happen.....   Get ready Baton Rouge for some championship caliber NCAA women's basketball...   I wonder if Mr. Woodward reads Da Boot Sports..??????

GEAUX TIGERS!!!!

4/16/2021
By: Terrill J. Weil
Da Boot Sports


   BATON ROUGE: Nikki Fargas has reportedly resigned and is moving on from the LSU program. The decision comes after her 10th season with her team posting a 9-13 record. Fargas leaves LSU with a career record of 177-129 (.578 winning percentage)....  The Lady Tiger program has struggled to compete in the powerful SEC over the past few seasons and haven't won a NCAA tournament game in seven years. 

    This is a huge opportunity for AD Scott Woodward. Hiring a big name head coach that would come in and turn the program back around to the level of success they experienced in the early 2000s (five straight trips to the Final Four) would no doubt electrify the fan base. 
 
    A couple of weeks ago a put out a story about the women's basketball team stuck in mediocre mode and the frustration it has caused among the fans. Yes, I did call for a change and I'm relieved that change is coming.                                                                                                                                                           
    ​

3/30/2021
By: Terrill J. Weil
Da Boot Sports


   BATON ROUGE, LA: The Nikki Fargas era began in 2011-12 with exciting promise as it looked like the program would return to the high level of success that Sue Gunter built over a 22 year span, followed by four great seasons with Pokey Chapman at the helm.
   Next, Van Chancellor took over a program that was right at the top of college basketball making the Final Four four straight seasons. The Lady Tigers would return to the Final Four in Chancellor's first season for a 5th straight appearance but over the next three years the program would begin to slip in recruiting top talent and fall back into mediocrity. 
   Then LSU hired Coach Fargas and during her first three seasons the team would post records of 23-11, 22-12, and 21-13 including back to back trips to the Sweet Sixteen. But over the last seven seasons, the program has fallen back to a level of mediocrity, only qualifying for the NCAA Tournament three times, exiting the dance in the first round each time, while not making the NCAA postseason field for the third season in a row. 
   Time has come for a change Mr. Woodward. There is very little to no excitement for the women's basketball program and this is the perfect time to pull the trigger and make a huge blockbuster move. 
   With football coming off of one of their most disappointing seasons in years, the baseball and softball teams struggling to compete with the best the SEC has to offer, and the men's basketball team losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with most feeling they just completed an underachieving season, it's time to try and bring life back to one of the school's mediocre programs. 
   It was also reported earlier today that five players on the team's roster, Tiara Young, Awa Trasi, Karli Seay, Sharna Ayres, and Treasure Thompson have entered the transfer portal. 

   Make the blockbuster move and bring Coach Kim Mulkey back home to Louisiana. Having one of the most successful basketball coaches in NCAA history brought in to revive the women's basketball program is just what the doctor ordered. She would come with a hefty price tag, but she is worth every penny of it. 
   Twenty One years of excellence at Baylor could come turn the Lady Tigers into serious contenders once again. Mulkey, the mother of former LSU baseball great Kramer Robertson, grew up in Tickfaw, Louisiana, and lead Hammond High School to four consecutive girl's basketball state championships. She would then become an All-American point guard at Louisiana Tech, winning two national championships. Mulkey is also in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as a player. 
   Mulkey would then join the Bulldogs coaching staff as an assistant coach, then promoted to associate head coach. In 15 years on the Tech coaching staff, the Bulldogs would post a 430-68 record, advancing to seven Final Fours, while winning the 1988 NCAA Championship.
   In 2000 she would accept the head coaching position at Baylor, who at the time had just finished last in the Big 12 going 7-20 overall, and had never received an invite to the NCAA tournament.
  That changed in her first season there as she lead the Lady Bears to their first ever NCAA bid. Baylor has advanced to postseason play every year since Mulkey's arrival. They have won 20 games every year and only once has her team lost more then 10 games in a season. Baylor defeated Michigan State in 2005 for the national championship making Mulkey the first woman to win a Division I title both as a player and as a head coach. She has lead Baylor to the Sweet Sixteen five times, the Elite Eight ten times, Final Four four times, and has won three NCAA National Championships, (2005, 2012, & 2019)....
   Baylor was 10 seconds and a horrible officials' call away from advancing to the another Final Four on Monday night's Elite Eight matchup with UConn...
   Mulkey may also be the only coach who could compete with former LSU gymnastics Head Coach D-D Breaux as far as fashion goes, as she known for some of her bold wardrobe choices. 

   Please Mr. Scott Woodward... We are all tired of mediocrity...  Go get Coach Kim Mulkey and bring her back to Louisiana. Bring her here to wear the purple & gold... Bring her here to win championships.... You won't be sorry.........
​

​3/4/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Judy Willson


   GREENVILLE S.C. – LSU women’s basketball advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2021 Southeastern Conference Tournament after beating Mississippi State by a score of 71-62 in the second round on Thursday morning.
 
   Junior transfer Ryann Payne led LSU in scoring as she set career-highs in points, rebounds and assists. She finished with 17 points and added four rebounds and three assists for the game. She and junior Sarah Shematsi came off the bench for a combined 30 points, a huge factor in the victory. Shematsi hit four key three-point shots in the game and finished with 13 points.
 
   Senior Kayla Pointer scored 14 points while also grabbing four rebounds and dishing out three assists. Her 14 points were enough to move her up a spot on LSU’s all-time scoring list. Pointer passed Ayana Mitchell (1,275; 2015-20) and now sits at No. 22 with 1,280 career points.
 
   Redshirt senior Faustine Aifuwa led the Tigers in rebounding with 12 boards. She also added nine points, just missing a double-double for the day.
The win ended a nine-game losing streak against the Bulldogs that started in 2015-16 season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Sophomore Tiara Young got LSU on the scoreboard with a pair of free throws.
• Mississippi State jumped out to an early 8-2 lead.
• At the first-quarter media timeout, the Bulldogs led the Tigers 9-4.
• Out of the timeout, the Tigers went on a 9-4 scoring run to tie the game at 13 with 2:11 remaining in the quarter, including a Shematsi three to cut MSU’s lead to 11-9.
• After one quarter of play, Mississippi State led LSU 15-13.
• Payne got the scoring started for LSU in the second quarter with a three-pointer to give the Tigers a 16-15 lead.
• The teams traded buckets as the quarter went on. After two free throws from senior Karli Seay, LSU led Mississippi State 22-19.
• At the media timeout, the Tigers had a 27-21 lead over the Bulldogs.
• Mississippi State closed the gap, but LSU still led 33-29 at halftime.
• Back-to-back baskets by Young and Pointer gave LSU a 37-31 lead over Mississippi State as the third quarter action started.
• With 4:13 remaining in the quarter, LSU led 42-35 over Mississippi State.
• As the quarter went on, the teams traded buckets. The Tigers led 47-40 over the Bulldogs.
• At the end of the third quarter, LSU led Mississippi State 53-43.
• The scoring in the fourth quarter started slow for both teams, with the Tigers leading the Bulldogs 56-47 with 7:11 remaining.
• Mississippi State called a timeout as it trailed LSU, 61-52, with six minutes left in the game.
• The Tigers held the lead and won against the Bulldogs by a final score of 71-62.

Nikki Fargas’ Postgame Quotes
On getting a win against Mississippi State after losing to them in the regular-season finale…
“We wanted to take the mistakes that we made in our previous game and make sure it didn’t happen again. We talked about being that team that becomes a 40-minute team. We’ve been that team that’s played 30 minutes, and I’m so proud of this group because they stayed focused and stayed locked into what we needed to do.”
 
On LSU’s bench play…
“To be able to see Ryann (Payne) and her path and her journey to get here and what she endured, as far as the surgery and getting herself healthy. She just kept working out and kept wanting to get experience. I’m thinking, ‘If you can go, it’s gonna be more than experience that we are gonna need you to get. We are going to need you to help us to win’. Her energy and just her bounce is so contagious. The fact that Sarah (Shematsi), which we have always known she can shoot lights out. I just feel like her confidence is at a high right now. They both did a nice job of playing off of each other. They allowed us to spread the floor more, which allowed us to get some penetration and post touches. To have plays that are threats from the perimeter makes our offensive execution looks a whole lot better.”
 
On the energy and fight displayed by the team…
“I’ve always thought our team had fight in us. There’re times where we would lose our focus and go off and do our own thing. The fight of our team, we maintained it. I can’t say enough about the energy we felt from the bench. They were into it; they were engaged and that uplifted us. That’s why we were able to come away with this win because it was about us as LSU and as a team.”
 
Up Next
The Tigers will play the No. 2 Texas A&M Aggies in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament on Friday, March 5, at 10 a.m. CT. Texas A&M won the SEC regular season title and LSU is the only team to beat the Aggies this season.
 
The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network. As always, fans are encouraged to tune into the LSU Sports Radio Network, broadcasting on 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge, with Voice of the Tigers Patrick Wright calling the action.