Is LSU still in March Madness? Taking a closer look at Kim Mulkey's chances in the 2024 NCAA Tournament

Defending champions LSU returns to the NCAA Tournament after another brilliant regular season.

The Tigers entered the postseason competition with the aim of retaining their title after falling to South Carolina in both the SEC regular season and tournament championships. We take a look at the fate of the team in the tournament.

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Is LSU still in March Madness?

LSU is one of the teams left in March Madness hoping to claim the national championship. The Tigers saw off Rice 70-60 in the first round before a dominant 83-56 victory over Middle Tennessee in the second.

Kim Mulkey's team will square up against UCLA in the Sweet 16 on Saturday at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York. Without a doubt, the game will be a tough test for LSU, but it's a must-win for the program if it wants to retain the national title won last season.

The Bruins have also had a brilliant campaign this season, reaching the Pac-12 Tournament championship game, where they lost to USC. They saw off Cal Baptist and Creighton in the first and second rounds respectively, to secure a spot in March Madness Sweet 16.

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Key stats for the LSU vs. UCLA Sweet 16 game

LSU will be heading to the Sweet 16 encounter with an average of 86.1 points per game, while their opponent, UCLA, has only put up an average of 77.6 points per outing.

LSU is allowing an average of 62.3 points per game this season, while UCLA has allowed an average of 60.6 points per contest this campaign. The Tigers exhibit impressive accuracy from the free-throw line, boasting a remarkable 74.6 percent success rate, which is the second-best mark in the SEC.

The Bruins have demonstrated their efficiency on the court by shooting 44.9 percent. They’ve maintained strong defensive performance, holding their opponents to a lower shooting percentage of 36.6 percent.

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Potential distraction for LSU in the NCAA Tournament

Following LSU’s NCAA Tournament second-round game against Middle Tennessee, Kim Mulkey addressed an impending article from the Washington Post, suggesting that it's intended to discredit her.

She disclosed her intention to go into a legal battle with the publication if it's published.

"I’ve hired the best defamation law firm in the country, and I will sue The Washington Post if they publish a false story about me," Mulkey said. "Not many people are in a position to hold these kinds of journalists accountable, but I am, and I’ll do it."

Without a doubt, this controversy could potentially cause some distraction to the Tigers’ bid to retain their national championship this season. Washington Post has refused to address the allegation by Mulkey, and it's unknown if it will proceed with publishing the article.