“(Kaylin) Gilbert is trying to reestablish herself”: Kim Mulkey points out Arizona transfer's role in LSU’s scrappy win over Washington
LSU coach Kim Mulkey praised the impact of new players on her 2024-25 season roster behind the Tigers' 9-0 start to the season. Talking on the 104.5 ESPN's "Off the Bench" podcast on Tuesday, Mulkey highlighted the Nov. 25 game against the Washington Huskies.
The coach said the effort of players like Kailyn Gilbert allowed LSU to win the contest and also storm back to blow out NC State in the next game.
"The thing I will say about the Washington game - we didn't win that game with our primary players that you think are going to win it for you on the floor," Kim Mulkey said.
"You won that game, if you look at it, and you got back in that game with new players. There were some returning players obviously on the floor. But Gilbert is trying to reestablish herself here at LSU and she had the sense about her, that my gosh there's only six seconds left I got to grab this loose ball and I gotta go." (3:30)
Arizona transfer Kailyn Gilbert made the game-winning basket in the final seconds of the game against the Huskies.
As the team's scoring leader Flau'jae Johnson saved a backcourt violation in the final 10 seconds, Gilbert fought for the ball near the half-court line. She immediately drove for an acrobatic layup for a one-point win (68-67).
Kailyn Gilbert is coming off her best season with the Wildcats, averaging 15.1 points and 5.3 rebounds. For Kim Mulkey, she is averaging 9.6 points and 3.9 rebounds through the first nine games.
Kim Mulkey's thoughts on LSU's schedule
LSU began the season as a top-10 team in the AP women's basketball rankings. However, the program has only played one ranked team (NC State) in its first nine games, sparking debates around the competition in Tigers' contests.
Kim Mulkey shut down the criticism around her scheduling behind her experience and by questioning the procedure of ranking teams.
"Listen I still believe in eyeballs," Mulkey said. "What do I mean by that? Get off your rum, watch women's basketball games on TV, go watch them in person and give the best teams that you see the higher seeds when this season is over. I don't believe in rankings - here you win this, you beat this, you get beat, that's too complicated for me."
"I know what I'm doing with my non-conference schedule. It's worked for 40 years, I don't care how many analytics come up with new ideas to me. That's a shortcut in a lazy way. It's kind of like scouting, get off your rum and go scout kids." (5:58)
Kim Mulkey's squad's next game against a ranked team will be in January when they visit the defending champions South Carolina Gamecocks.