ESPN’s Shannon Sharpe was critical Monday of LSU coach Kim Mulkey over her comments following the SEC Tournament title game that involved a fight between her players and members of the South Carolina team.

Mulkey was critical of the officials after the Gamecocks’ 79-72 win, saying that they didn’t call enough fouls after the game.

But it was Mulkey’s comments on how the fight played out that has made her the target of some criticism.

“It’s ugly. It’s not good,” Mulkey said. “No one wants to be a part of that. No one wants to see that ugliness. But I can tell you this: I wish (Cardoso) would have pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a kid — you’re 6-8. Don’t push somebody that little. That was uncalled for, in my opinion. Let those two girls that were jawing, let them go at it.”

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley was apologetic when she spoke to ESPN after the game.

“I just want to apologize to the basketball community,” Staley said. “You know when you’re playing a championship game like this in our league, things get heated. No bad intentions. Their emotions got so far ahead of them that sometimes these things happens. I want to apologize for us playing a part in that, because that’s not who we are and that’s not what we’re about.

“We’re going to talk about it. We’ve always talked about it. Never leave the bench, you know. Never get too high with the highs or low with the lows. It’s hard when you’re playing. I played this game a long time and I can’t tell you I was a Saint at all times. Ok? Your emotions get the best of you. It’s unfortunate that the players that got ejected can’t be a part of the celebration.”

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey kneels at the bench during first period action against South Carolina on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

On Monday during ESPN’s First Take, Sharpe saw Staley’s comments as being appropriate while taking issue with what Mulkey had to say.

“Did you see what Dawn Staley said and how she tried to downplay it? And you see Kim Mulkey, how she tried to up play it?,” Sharpe said as he began his critique.

Sharpe pointed to the growth of college women’s basketball over the last couple of years, and said that Mulkey missed the mark with what she said about the fight that started when South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardosa pushed down LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson late in the fourth quarter.

“But for you take that stance, ‘I wish Cardosa would have pushed Angel Reese.’ Really? Is that what you want? You want to see a fight?, ” Sharpe said. “You want the women’s game to be marred by a fight, really? Come on, Kim Mulkey. You’ve got to be better, and we’ve got to start doing a better job of holding Kim Mulkey accountable and responsible for some of her comments. We let that stuff slide because she’s a national champion. I refused to do that.

“I believe she was wrong in this instance, and Dawn Staley showed the upmost class and respect not only for the game itself, but for her team and the opposing team. I wish Kim Mulkey had showed that level of respect.”

Six players were ejected because of the fight and Johnson’s brother was arrested for going onto the court and pushing an SEC employee.