LSU was riding on a flawless start until 2 back-to-back losses ended their streak. And with the 14-0 start breaking down, Kim Mulkey admitted their real problem.

Following their most recent loss to Vanderbilt on January 4th, Kim Mulkey admitted to the schedule problem.

“If we hadn’t played that schedule, we might have been sitting here with a lot of losses.”

The Tigers scored 100 points in nine of their first 11 games. Easy wins over teams like Houston Christian, Charlotte, and Alcorn State safeguarded wins and national headlines.

The SEC, however, has not been that smooth sailing. LSU opened the conference with a loss to No. 12 Kentucky on January 1, followed by Sunday’s setback against Vanderbilt in Memorial Gym, Nashville.

And after the loss, Mulkey wasn't holding back. "It’s an old term, but we’re not tough enough. We’re not tough enough. And toughness is something you either have or you don’t. We’re not tough enough, and that’s everybody in that locker room tonight. You’re not tough enough to make a play when we need it."

The Commodores were led by Mikayla Blakes’ explosive 32-point performance, and LSU couldn’t recover despite a late surge offering multiple chances. Star player Flau’jae Johnson left the hardwood without scoring for the first time.

And the road ahead won't be easy for Kim Mulkey and Co.

This was just the start of Mulkey's battle. Going forward, the Tigers will be facing tougher teams if they want to go all the way and win the championship.

Six of their opponents will be ranked teams, including names like Georgia, Texas, and Oklahoma.

While the two losses were discouraging, there's some good news. Their next game won't be against a ranked opponent, giving Flau’jae Johnson and the rest of the team time to recover and stabilize.

Written by

Fatema Kapasi

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar