"Not going to let one sleazy reporter distract us": LSU HC Kim Mulkey opens up about alleged controversy following Tigers' win over MTSU

Kim Mulkey is looking to win her fifth national title in 24 seasons as a head coach, and her eighth overall. The LSU Tigers were able to take care of business and clinch a spot in the Sweet Sixteen on Sunday.

After starting slow and trailing 36-32 at halftime, the Tigers outscored their opponents by 31 points in the second half, cruising to an 83-56 victory.

Following the game, Mulkey was asked if the team was distracted and took the opportunity to address Washington Post reporter Kent Babb, who she has accused of preparing a hit piece on her, stating:

"No. Listen man, we're not going to let one sleazy reporter distract us from what we're trying to do. Absolutely not. My kids didn't even know I said that yesterday. That team's 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. Was that the question or did you have a second part?"

Check out Kim Mulkey's comments on the alleged controversy below:

Mulkey and the Tigers have remained undistracted, winning their first two games of the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The defending national champions will face the winner of the matchup between the No.2 seeded UCLA Bruins and No.7 seeded Creighton Bluejays.

What did Kim Mulkey originally say about the alleged 'hit piece'?

Kim Mulkey has accused Washington Post reporter Kent Babb of spending the past two years working on a hit piece against her. Speaking at her media availability on Saturday, the LSU Tigers head coach stated:

"The lengths he has gone to try to put a hit piece together. This reporter has been working on a story about me for two years. After two years of trying to get me to sit with him for an interview, he contacts LSU on Tuesday as we were getting ready for the first-round game of this tournament with more than a dozen questions, demanding a response by Thursday, right before we're scheduled to tip off."

He continued:

"Are you kidding me? This was a ridiculous deadline that LSU and I could not possibly meet, and the reporter knew it. It was just an attempt to prevent me from commenting and an attempt to distract us from this tournament. It ain't going to work, buddy."

Check out Kim Mulkey's comments on Washington Post reporter Kent Babb below:

Mulkey noted that the issue stems from her declining an interview with Babb after he wrote an article on Tigers' football coach Brian Kelly that she deemed as a 'hit job'.

She has accused him of trying to get former coaches and players to comment negatively on her and threatening legal action against both the reporter and publication.