Kim Mulkey clear after South Carolina loss: 'I'm not into moral victories'

Kim Mulkey was pretty clear after LSU lost to South Carolina that she isn’t into moral victories and the entire Tigers’ squad probably feels the same way.

The Tigers seemingly heard her message and bounced back Sunday with a win over Texas A&M to improve to 22-1 on the season. Well done by a top five team.

In case you need reminding, this is what Mulkey had to say following their first, and only, loss of the season.

“Well, let me tell you, I’m not into moral victories, so let’s get that out there,” Mulkey said after the South Carolina loss. “We lost, but it was a good game. You talk about what each of them could have done better. You make them answer it, you get in the film room for a short period of time, and then you get back to work. (We’re gonna) head to Baton Rouge, and you get in that film room for a little bit. Then you start on a very good A&M team that just beat Kentucky at home. 

“This is not the biggest game of the year. Y’all might think it is, but it’s not the biggest game of the year. It’s when you get to the playoffs and you got to keep grinding. But yeah, kudos to South Carolina. Great crowd today. They’re good.”

Whatever film they watched, it worked at home against the Aggies. Mulkey’s crew battled in the first half but started pulling away and ultimately controlled the fourth quarter.

Flau’jae Johnson led the way with 22 points, five rebounds and two assists. Aneesah Morrow added 19 points and nine rebounds in the win.

Simply put, LSU was tougher Sunday than against South Carolina.

​​”Thirty offensive boards, 21 turnovers,” Mulkey said. “That’s rebounding, and that’s defense, and when it’s tough for you on the offensive end, that’s what keeps you in ball games, and that’s what helps you win ball games. And I know I’ve preached that since I’ve been here, but this is a great example of it today.”

With 6:32 left in the game Texas A&M hit a three to bring the score within two, but Kailyn Gilbert answered with a three of her own on the end to score her first points of the game. Johnson scored on a breakaway after a steal on the next possession for a 5-0 LSU run as Texas A&M took a timeout with LSU leading, 53-46.

Gilbert drained another trey under four minutes to make the score 58-49.  That ultimately proved to be too much for Texas A&M to overcome, as the Tigers were able to close out the win with a final score of 64-51, as Mulkey seemingly foretold.