DALLAS � Kim Mulkey returned home to Louisiana wanting to bring LSU its first basketball championship. The Hall of Fame coach did just that in only her second year at the school.
Her Tigers used a record offensive performance to beat Caitlin Clark and Iowa 102-85 on Sunday and win the first basketball title, men's or women's, in school history.
kAmQx EFC? 2C@F?5 2?5 =@@< 2E E96 u:?2= u@FC 32??6CD W:? E96 9@>6 2C6?2X[ ?@H96C6 5:5 :E D2J ?2E:@?2= 492>A:@?[Q |F=<6J D2:5] Q%92EVD H92E x 42>6 9@>6 E@ 5@]Qk^Am
kAm%96 G:4E@CJ >256 |F=<6J E96 7:CDE H@>6?VD 4@249 E@ H:? ?2E:@?2= E:E=6D 2E EH@ 5:776C6?E D49@@=D] $96 H@? E9C66 2E q2J=@C 367@C6 =62G:?8 7@C {$& EH@ J62CD 28@]k^Am
kAmQr@2496D 4@249 2 =:76E:>6 2?5 E9:D :D E96 7@FCE9 E:>6 xVG6 366? 3=6DD65[Q |F=<6J D2:5] Q}6G6C :? E96 9:DE@CJ @7 {$& 32D<6E32==[ >6? @C H@>6?[ 92D W2?J3@5JX 6G6C A=2J65 7@C 2 492>A:@?D9:A]Qk^Am
kAm%96 76:DEJ 2?5 7=2>3@J2?E=J 5C6DD65 |F=<6J[ H9@ H@C6 2 DA2C<=J[ 8@=56?[ E:86C\DEC:A65 @FE7:E[ ?@H 92D E96 E9:C5\>@DE ?2E:@?2= E:E=6D 369:?5 v6?@ pFC:6>>2VD `` 2?5 !2E $F>>:EEVD 6:89E] |F=<6J 92D ?6G6C =@DE :? 2 492>A:@?D9:A 82>6]k^Am
kAmQ|J E62CD 2C6 E62CD @7 ;@J[Q D96 D2:5] QxV> D@ 92AAJ 7@C 6G6CJ3@5J 324< 9@>6 :? {@F:D:2?2]Qk^Am
kAmr=2C<[ %96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD ?2E:@?2= A=2J6C @7 E96 J62C[ 4@F=5?VE =625 E96 w2H<6J6D E@ E96:C 7:CDE ?2E:@?2= E:E=6 56DA:E6 @?6 @7 E96 8C62E6DE :?5:G:5F2= A6C7@C>2?46D :? }rpp %@FC?2>6?E 9:DE@CJ] %96 ;F?:@C 7:?:D965 H:E9 b_ A@:?ED] $96 D4@C65 c_ :? E96 D6>:7:?2=D E@ <?@4< @FE F?362E6? $@FE9 r2C@=:?2 @?6 82>6 27E6C D96 925 E96 7:CDE c_\A@:?E EC:A=6\5@F3=6 :? }rpp 9:DE@CJ :? E96 t=:E6 t:89E]k^Am
kAm%96 52KK=:?8 8F2C5 D6E E96 }rpp C64@C5 7@C A@:?ED :? 2 E@FC?2>6?E[ A2DD:?8 E96 `ff E92E $96CJ= $H@@A6D D4@C65 :? `hhb 6? C@FE6 E@ =625:?8 %6I2D %649 E@ E96 E:E=6] r=2C< 6?565 96C E@FC?2>6?E H:E9 `h`]k^Am
kAm%96 `_a A@:?ED 3C@<6 E96 AC6G:@FD 9:89 7@C 2 492>A:@?D9:A 82>6[ DFCA2DD:?8 E96 hf E92E %6I2D D4@C65 282:?DE $@FE96C? r2=:7@C?:2 :? `hge]k^Am
kAmQ$@ >F49 7@C AC6249:?8 5676?D6 2?5 C63@F?5:?8[Q |F=<6J D2:5[ =2F89:?8]k^Am
kAm%2<:?8 :? E96 82>6 H2D 7:CDE =25J y:== q:56?[ H9@ D2E :? 2 DF:E6 23@G6 E96 4@FCE H:E9 E6??:D 8C62E q:==:6 y62? z:?8]k^Am
kAm|F=<6J D2:5 D96 925?VE >6E E96 7:CDE =25J J6E 3FE E@=5 E96 p! E92E :7 E96 E62> H2D :?G:E65 E@ E96 (9:E6 w@FD6[ D96V5 8@]k^Am
kAmy2D>:?6 r2CD@? D4@C65 aa A@:?ED[ p=6I:D |@CC:D 25565 a` 2?5 p?86= #66D6 925 `d A@:?ED 2?5 `_ C63@F?5D 7@C {$& Wbc\aX]k^Am
kAmQxEVD ?@ @?6\>2? D9@H 2C@F?5 96C6] (96? x 8@ 5@H?[ E96 ?6IE >2? :D FA[Q D2:5 #66D6[ H9@ H2D 9@?@C65 2D E96 |@DE ~FEDE2?5:?8 !=2J6C @7 E96 u:?2= u@FC] QtG6CJ D:?8=6 E:>6[ 6G6CJ E:>6 x 8@ @FE @C p=6I:D 8@6D @FE[ 6G6CJ3@5J 2=H2JD 4@>6D E@ DE6A FA]Qk^Am
kAm%C2:=:?8 3J a` A@:?ED 62C=J :? E96 E9:C5 BF2CE6C[ x@H2 DE2CE65 9:EE:?8 7C@> E96 @FED:56 E@ 8@ @? 2 `d\a CF?[ 9:EE:?8 7@FC b\A@:?E6CD 2?5 4@?G6CE:?8 2 b\A@:?E A=2J E@ 86E H:E9:? ed\df]k^Am
kAm%96 w2H<6J6D Wb`\fX EC2:=65 fb\ec H:E9 `i_b =67E :? E96 E9:C5 BF2CE6C H96? r=2C< H2D 42==65 7@C 2 E649?:42= 7@F=] $96 DH2EE65 E96 32== 2H2J @? E96 7=@@C 27E6C 2 7@F= 42== 282:?DE 2 E62>>2E6] %92E 4@F?E65 2D 2 A6CD@?2= 7@F= 7@C 96C[ 96C 7@FCE9 @7 E96 82>6]k^Am
kAmQx E9@F89E E96J 42==65 :E G6CJ[ G6CJ E:89E[Q r=2C< D2:5] Qw:E H:E9 2 E649?:42= 7@F= 7@C E9C@H:?8 E96 32== F?56C E96 32D<6E � D@>6E:>6D E92EVD 9@H E9:?8D 8@]Qk^Am
kAmr=2C< A=2J65 E96 6?E:C6 7@FCE9 BF2CE6C H:E9 7@FC 7@F=D 3FE 4@F=5?VE 86E E96 w2H<6J6D >F49 4=@D6C]k^Am
kAmQ%96J C62==J A=2J65 H6==[ E96J H6C6 C625J E@ 8@] %96J 5:5 2 8C62E ;@3] xV> ;FDE D@ AC@F5 @7 >J E62>[Q x@H2 4@249 {:D2 q=F56C D2:5] Q%9:D :D 3CFE2=[ :EVD C62==J E@F89 E@ H2=< @FE @7 E92E =@4<6C C@@> E@52J 2?5 ?@E 36 23=6 E@ 4@249 |@?:<2 WrK:?2?@X 2?5 |4z6??2 W(2C?@4<X 282:?] xV> G6CJ E92?<7F= 7@C E96 D62D@? H6 925 2?5 5@?VE H2?E E@ E2<6 2?JE9:?8 2H2J 7C@> E92E]Qk^Am
kAmp7E6C z2E2C: !@@=6 9:E 2 b\A@:?E6C :? 7C@?E @7 E96 {$& 36?49[ |F=<6J DE2CE65 H66A:?8]k^Am
kAmQ(:E9 23@FE `ib_ E@ 8@[ x 4@F=5?VE 9@=5 :E] x 8@E G6CJ 6>@E:@?2=[Q |F=<6J D2:5] Q%92EVD ?@E =:<6 >6[ 3FE x <?6H H6 H@F=5 9@=5 @? 2?5 H:? E9:D 82>6] x 5@?VE H92E :E H2D[ 3FE x =@DE :E] '6CJ 6>@E:@?2= 2?5 E62CD @7 ;@J] s@?VE <?@H :7 :EVD E96 >6C6 724E E92E H6VC6 5@:?8 :E :? >J D64@?5 J62C 324< 9@>6 @C E92E x 2> 324< 9@>6]Qk^Am
kAmp 76H D64@?5D =2E6C 27E6C 2?@E96C {$& 32D<6E[ #66D6 E2F?E65 r=2C< 3J AFEE:?8 96C 92?5 :? 7C@?E @7 96C 7246 H:E9 2 QJ@F 42?VE D66 >6Q 86DEFC6 2?5 E96? A@:?E65 E@ 96C C:?8 7:?86C]k^Am
kAmpD E96 7:?2= D64@?5D E:4<65 @77[ |F=<6J 2?5 #66D6 9F8865[ D6EE:?8 @77 2 H:=5 46=63C2E:@? 3J E96 %:86CD]k^Am
kAm%96 82>6 H2D E:89E 7@C E96 7:CDE `d >:?FE6D 367@C6 r2CD@? 8@E 9@E 7C@> E96 @FED:56] $96 >256 2== D:I @7 96C D9@ED :? E96 D64@?5 BF2CE6C[ :?4=F5:?8 7@FC b\A@:?E6CD] p7E6C @?6 @7 E96>[ D96 E9C6H 96C 92?5D :? E96 2:C[ H9:49 |F=<6J >:>:4<65 @? E96 D:56=:?6D]k^Am
kAmu@C 8@@5 >62DFC6[ E96 8C25F2E6 DEF56?E 32?<65 :? 2 D9@E ;FDE 367@C6 E96 92=7E:>6 3FKK6C E@ 8:G6 E96 %:86CD 2 dh\ca =625 2E E96 3C62<] xE H2D E96 >@DE A@:?ED 6G6C :? E96 7:CDE 92=7 @7 2 492>A:@?D9:A 82>6[ 3C62<:?8 E96 C64@C5 96=5 3J %6??6DD66 D:?46 `hhg]k^Am
kAm{$& D9@E dgT 7C@> E96 7:6=5 :? E96 @A6?:?8 a_ >:?FE6D[ :?4=F5:?8 8@:?8 ?:?6 7@C `a 7C@> 369:?5 E96 2C4] %96 %:86CD 7:?:D965 E96 82>6 D9@@E:?8 dcT 7C@> E96 7:6=5[ :?4=F5:?8 >2<:?8 `` @7 `f b\A@:?E6CD]k^Am
kAmr=2C< 925 `e A@:?ED 2?5 7:G6 2DD:DED 367@C6 A:4<:?8 FA 96C E9:C5 7@F= H:E9 bide E@ 8@ :? E96 92=7[ H9:49 5:5?VE 8@ @G6C H6== H:E9 E96 D6==@FE 4C@H5 @7 >@C6 E92? `h[___ 72?D]k^Am
kAmq67@C6 $F?52J[ r2CD@? 925 8@?6 D4@C6=6DD :? 7:G6 @7 96C D6G6? A@DED62D@? 82>6D :? 96C 42C66C] $96 925 `` A@:?ED :? E9:D }rpp %@FC?2>6?E 367@C6 E96 7:?2=6]k^Am
kAmQx H@F=5 567:?:E6=J D2J E9:D :D E96 82>6 @7 >J =:76 3642FD6 x H@? 2 ?2E:@?2= 492>A:@?D9:A @? E96 3:886DE DE286 A@DD:3=6 :? 4@==686[Q r2CD@? D2:5] Q(96? x H@<6 FA x ;FDE H2?E65 E@ H:? � 5@ 2?JE9:?8 >J E62> ?66565 :? E9:D 82>6[ H96E96C :E H2D 5676?D6[ C63@F?5:?8[ DFAA@CE:?8 E96>] x D4@C65 E@?:89E 2?5 E92EVD H92E AFD965 FD 2?5 8@E FD >@>6?EF>]Qk^Am