The LSU women's basketball team is currently ranked 8 in the nation. We can finally say that the Kim Mulkey-led Tigers have turned things around.
LSU went 9-13 and 6-8 in the SEC last season. They hadn't received a tournament bid since last year, and hadn't made it past the first round of the tournament since 2014, despite having a 20-win season and likely making an appearance. Kim Mulkey was ready to return to her home state of Louisiana when she parted ways with the university.
There are good coaches in the world, and then there are those so great that you wonder how it is possible that one person can make a huge difference in a short period of time. Mulkey's departure from Baylor came under odd circumstances. She left after 21 years in which she led the Bears to three national titles and 11 conference titles.
She told ESPN in a December feature that she had butted heads with Baylor’s administration and felt taken for granted there. In the article, she’s quoted as saying, “I wasn’t done at Baylor. That’s the thing. No one saw this coming, myself included.” The Baylor administration had refused several small but meaningful honors, including a confetti drop for a Big 12 championship and a booster-led campaign to have Mulkey’s name on the court floor. And, of course, she wanted to be closer to family.
LSU was overjoyed to have her, and rightfully so. When a coach stays at a school for a long time, one wonders if the relationship is a good one and if the coach can go somewhere and build a program. She didn't need a rebuilding year with LSU, and if there's any truth to her feelings of tension with the athletic department, she's going to end up looking bad.
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