Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry calls out Kim Mulkey, LSU for not standing for national anthem

LSU was not on the court when the national anthem was played ahead of the team’s matchup against Iowa in the Elite Eight. On Tuesday, Louisiana governor Jeff Landry proposed a new policy that would prevent other teams from following suit.

“My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation, no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey,” Landry wrote on X. “However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag!

“It is time that all college boards, including Regent, put a policy in place that student athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship! This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill.”

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Despite Landry’s comments on Tuesday morning, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey made it clear after the Tigers’ 94-87 loss to Iowa that the team’s absence during the national anthem was not intentional.

“Honestly, I don’t even know when the anthem was played,” Mulkey said. “We kind of have a routine where we are on the floor and then they come off at the 12-minute mark. We just — I don’t know, we come in and we do our pregame stuff. I’m sorry — listen, that’s nothing intentionally done.”

Lisa Bluder claims LSU and Iowa have no rival

National anthem controversy aside, viewers enjoyed a show for the ages. Caitlin Clark erupted in the triumph, tallying a game-high 41 points and 12 assists while shooting 13-29 from the field and 9-20 from beyond the arc.

LSU’s Angel Reese put on a show, as well, notching 17 points and 20 rebounds in the Tigers’ losing effort. Despite the heated competition on the court and controversy off it, Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder claimed the matchup wasn’t a rivalry.

“We talked about that last night and I told the team, ‘This is not a rivalry. This is a competition.’ It’s a competition against an opponent. It is not a rivalry,” Bluder said following the win. “I just don’t feel like we’ve played them that many times that you consider it a rivalry.

“I think people were highly interested in this game,” Bluder added. “And so I think people were excited to see this played, to see this matchup again. So I think that was there, the excitement around the game, but it’s certainly wasn’t what we feel like is a rivalry. It was just going out to compete.”