Once again, LSU had a bit of a slow start in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday against Middle Tennessee.
It found itself in a double-digit deficit in the second half, though it ultimately overcame those struggles to win 83-56 and advance to the Sweet 16.
After the game, coach [autotag]Kim Mulkey[/autotag] was asked if the slow start could be a result of off-the-court distractions. Last week, news leaked that The Washington Post is working on a story about Mulkey and the LSU program, which she addressed in harsh terms on Saturday ahead of the game.
Mulkey rebuked the idea that the impending report — the details of which are not yet known — played any role in the team’s performance.
“No. Listen, man, we’re not going to let one sleazy reporter distract us from what we’re trying to do,” she said. “Absolutely not. My kids didn’t even know I said that yesterday. That team is not involved in this. They were in shock when they saw all that on the internet. I don’t take that stuff to my team.”
It’s also unclear when the story is expected to be released, though Mulkey threatened legal action on Saturday against the newspaper if it were to publish a “false story” about her.
The Tigers will face the winner of Monday’s game between UCLA and Creighton on Saturday in the Sweet 16 with the time yet to be determined.
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