"A fun time of the year": LSU HC Kim Mulkey makes her feelings known on role players ahead of March Madness

March Madness has arrived, and every player must be ready to contribute, a point emphasized by LSU women's head coach Kim Mulkey on Friday. Mulkey, 62, will lead the Tigers in their first-round matchup against San Diego State on Saturday night.

While speaking to the media, Mulkey stressed that every team member must play a big part to succeed in the tournament.

"You need all your players doing their role at their best," Mulkey said in her pre-game press conference. "Do what you do best. It’s a fun time of the year, and there’s so much parity in women’s basketball. You’ve got to play good."

LSU finished third in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) with a 12-4 record and an overall record of 28-5. The Tigers advanced to the SEC Tournament semifinals but were defeated 56-49 by the Texas Longhorns. As a result, they earned a No. 3 seed in the 2025 Women's March Madness tournament.

Their success this season has been largely driven by star players Flau’jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow, and Mikaylah Williams. However, both Johnson and Morrow faced injuries leading up to March Madness. The good news for LSU is that they are both set to play against San Diego State.

To make a deep run in the tournament, LSU will need contributions from players beyond their top three. Players like Kailyn Gilbert, Mjracle Sheppard, Sa’Myah Smith, Jersey Wolfenbarger, Shayeann Day-Wilson, and Last-Tear Poa are all required to step up.

Kim Mulkey's LSU gain praise of San Diego State HC Stacie Terry-Hutson

Since her arrival, Mulkey has brought consistency to LSU. The Tigers have now appeared in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments after missing out for four straight years before she took over.

Ahead of the game, San Diego State HC Stacie Terry-Hutson was full of praise for Kim Mulkey's program (via The San Diego Tribune):

“I have a lot of love for LSU. I have family here. I had a great time here. I know where to eat in Baton Rouge. And I’ve been really proud to watch what coach (Kim) Mulkey has done with this program. I thought we did a good job while we were here. But to see Kim win a national championship was really, really cool. And to see this place packed is exciting.

“On the flip side, it’s exciting for us to play in this environment. I’m excited for my players. We’ve made it more about them than me. I’m excited to be back with this team for this opportunity. We have a very resilient group. We have depth. The Mountain West is a tough league that I don’t think gets a lot of respect.”

The game is set to tip off at 9:15 p.m. CT on Saturday. Fans can watch the matchup live on ESPN or stream it on Fubo. The Tigers enter the game as the favorite, especially with Johnson and Morrow returning from injury and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.