Heather Van Lith was clearly baffled by coach Kim Mulkey’s play call in the final stages of LSU’s shock defeat (Image: X @Trae_K)
The reigning NCAA champion LSU women’s basketball team suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time in two years after losing to Mississippi State – a loss that left players confused
LSU women’s basketball star Hailey Van Lith appeared to be confused by the play drawn up by head coach Kim Mulkey in a loss to Mississippi State on Monday.
After coming up short in a thrilling game against top-ranked South Carolina last week, the LSU women’s basketball team suffered successive defeats for the first time in two years with the 77-73 defeat to the unranked Bulldogs. The defeat will surely have implications for the Tigers’ bid to be the first seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament in March.
The loss to the undefeated Gamecocks may be forgiven given they slipped to a narrow 76-70 defeat having been without Angel Reese for the final four minutes after she fouled out. But the loss to Mississippi State will sting.
The ninth-ranked Tigers appeared lost in the closing stages, with Van Lith seemingly not understanding whatever play Mulkey was looking to run. LSU huddled for a timeout down 74-68 with just 0:36 remaining in the game when the ESPN cameras caught the perplexed look on Van Lith’s face.
The guard looked shocked and asked “What?” as Mulkey coached during the timeout. Van Lith stayed in the huddle after the timeout to clarify her role in the critical possession.
Ironically, Van Lith ended up taking a three-pointer on the play, which would have made it a one-possession game had she scored. While Mikayla Williams snagged the rebound and put it back for two points, it wasn’t enough to get the Tigers back in the game as they slipped to 18-4 on the season.
Angel Reese tallied a double-double in the loss to Mississippi State ( Image: X @LSUwbkb)
Van Lith struggled against the Bulldogs, finishing with just four points in 31 minutes as she shot 0-for-4 from three-point range and recorded three turnovers to two assists. Reese led the way for LSU, putting up 20 points, 18 rebounds, and five steals in the defeat.
Meanwhile, Mississippi State’s JerKaila Jordan ended with 24 points to lead the Bulldogs to the huge upset win. The unranked program rallied in a big third quarter and held on for the monumental victory.
Mulkey’s Tigers now have eight regular season games remaining before they begin the official defense of their NCAA Tournament title. While there is still plenty of basketball to be played before the bracket for the 68-team tournament is set – including the SEC Tournament – LSU’s stunning loss could have an impact on their final seeding.
LSU is next in action against unranked Florida on Sunday, Feb. 4. The Gators currently possess an 11-8 record.