"I quit pressing": Kim Mulkey reveals LSU's strategy for 2nd quarter shutdown vs NC Central

LSU coach Kim Mulkey shared the strategy that helped the No. 7 Tigers dominate the second quarter en route to a 131-44 victory over North Carolina Central on Sunday. The win helped Mulkey and her team maintain their perfect 9-0 record.

NC Central posted its best first quarter of the season, trailing just 26-18. However, LSU turned up the intensity in the second quarter, shutting out the Eagles 37-0 to take a commanding 63-18 lead by halftime.

When asked about the shift in momentum, Mulkey said:

“I quit pressing. I started out in a 1-2-1-1, and we just gave them too many easy open looks, and when you do the 1-2-1-1, that happens. I just wanted us not to come out lethargic. I wanted us to come out with excitement and movement, and we just settled back into basically man-to-man full-court instead of the 1-2-1-1 press.”

(From the 7:22 mark)

LSU’s defensive adjustments stifled NC Central, holding it to 0-for-12 shooting in the second quarter, including 0-for-4 from 3-point range and the free throw line.

The Tigers capitalized offensively, with Flau’jae Johnson scoring LSU’s first nine points of the quarter. The bench contributed significantly, adding 20 points in the period, with five subs scoring four points each. NC Central’s scoring drought lasted a total of 11 minutes and 12 seconds.

The Tigers’ 131 points marked the second-most in program history, along with their 49 field goals—the second-most made in a single game.

Kim Mulkey Achieves 100th Win with LSU

The milestone victory carried special significance for Mulkey, as it marked her 100th win as LSU coach.

Under her guidance, the Tigers have recorded two wins of at least 80 points since 2002, including last season’s program-record 133-point performance in an 89-point rout of McNeese. Overall, LSU has now posted six wins by 70 or more points under Mulkey’s leadership.

Mulkey is the third coach in LSU history to achieve 100 wins, joining Nikki Fargas and Sue Gunter. She reached the milestone in just 114 games—13 fewer than Gunter. With 732 career victories, Mulkey ranks 14th all-time among NCAA coaches.

LSU (9-0) will host Stanford (7-1) at 8 p.m. Thursday in a marquee SEC/ACC Challenge matchup, which will air on ESPN2.