Kim Mulkey talks win over Vanderbilt, defensive growth

LSU got the road win over Vanderbilt on Thursday night, 85-62, improving to 7-3 in SEC play with its second straight win. The Tigers started the game outscoring the Commodores 22-7 in the first quarter, setting the tone with its defense and its rebounding.

After the game, head coach Kim Mulkey met with the media to discuss the win and what she saw from her team. Here’s everything she said.

On the physicality…

“We’re getting better and we’re playing better basketball right now than we have all year and it starts on the defensive end of the floor. We’re starting to help each other more. We’re moving our feet more. I’m using my bench more. We can score at all positions, but we have to get better defensively and we have. When you talk about physicality, we’re pretty big, so we’re going to bang with you with Angel, Aneesah, and Aalyah. We have to stop dribble penetration, but I don’t have a problem with it being physical. People are going to be physical with us so we have to be the aggressor.”

Defense on Vanderbilt’s guards…

“We’ve taken games where we haven’t done well against perimeter players and we’ve sat in the film room and challenged them. I can tell you they took it to heart. You can see it in the last couple of games where they don’t want to be a liability on the defensive end. Cambridge is the leader of that team and we held her to zero points in the first half. Each perimeter player is getting better and understanding principles, when to switch, and it took us time to get there.”

Starting strong and setting the tone…

“I saw the same thing tonight that I saw in the Florida games. We executed some plays we haven’t executed all year. I always tell them to start the game like you’re ten behind when you tip the ball on the road. That’s what you have to do on the road. You have to set the tone. I was really pleased. I was upset Angel picked up her second foul because I thought Angel was a force to be reckoned with in there early, which allowed everybody else to eat.”

On getting ran into on the sideline…

“Gotta love that. That’s what you want them to do. I’m fine. I’m sure I’ll have bruises tomorrow. When you have two stints and they got you on blood thinner, I probably got bruises, but I’m good to go and I loved every minute of it. I love that I fell back into my coaches. That’s what we teach.”

On withstanding their run in the second half…

“I love the way we started. I love the way we handled Angel being in foul trouble in the second quarter. We didn’t lose the lead and even extended the lead. In the second half I was pleased we took a deep breath and responded when they made their push and Angel got to rest then and Aalyah got big minutes. I always love that we have five players averaging in double figures.”

On the practices without the basketball…

“I’ve done that a lot. Maybe not with this particular team, but after the Mississippi State loss it was time. We can score the ball, going a day or two without the ball in your hands isn’t going to stop you from being a great scorer. It was a bye week also, and we have a bye week after Sunday’s game too, so we may do that again. When we’re all in the ready position with our knees bent and guarding the basketball, you know you’re getting through and you’re going to win some basketball games. Also, our bench players getting more minutes and coming in and doing something has been good of late. We need to make sure they continue with their confidence.”