It’s uncommon for a close game in the third quarter to turn into a 30-point blowout, but that’s exactly what happened to the LSU Tigers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The matchup remained highly competitive through most of the first half and the early minutes of the second. After the game, Coach Mulkey was upbeat in the press conference, crediting her bench for their crucial role in the victory and sharing the halftime adjustments that contributed to the 101-71 final score.
“My first message was to thank the players who kept us in the game and recognize their strong performance,” Mulkey said. “Then, we made a few defensive adjustments on how to guard [Ta’Niya] Latson and defend the screen at the top. I also reinforced what they did well in the first half and areas to improve in the second. Since they were playing in front of me after halftime, I told them I’d be calling quick hitters and directing them on where to move the ball. I thought we executed well. We finished with only 11 turnovers, which was an improvement from the first half when we had some costly mistakes that they took advantage of.”
Mulkey also praised sophomore Sa’Myah Smith for her standout performance, finishing with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. “I didn’t necessarily expect this, but when you recruit young players, keep them healthy, and watch them keep working hard to improve, it pays off. She’s coming back from knee surgery, and I noticed her grabbing at her leg a couple of times. I thought it might be cramps, but she didn’t say anything about being hurt, and the trainer didn’t signal to take her out,” Mulkey explained. “Sa’Myah has a quick jumper and can really challenge shots. She’s not the type of post player who thrives on physicality, so she has to do her work early—get deflections, front her opponent, and stay active. She played tough today and deserves a lot of credit.”