"This is not our biggest game of the year": Kim Mulkey brushes off loss to South Carolina, reveals her locker room approach after LSU's defeat

Kim Mulkey has moved on from Friday's loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks. The LSU coach talked about the things that transpired in the locker room following their first defeat of the season and what she said to her team to help the Tigers get over the disappointment.

The LSU Tigers' woes continued against the Gamecocks as they lost for the 17th straight time in the series matchup. Mulkey wasn't too bothered, though, reassuring her team that the loss to South Carolina was no big deal and that they have bigger games to look forward to this season.

She said on Tuesday's episode of "Off the Bench" hosted by T-Bob Hebert and Jacob Hester on 104.5 ESPN (5:50):

"A message to the team afterward was the same as before. This is not our biggest game of the year," Mulkey said. It might be to the media. It might be to the naysayers. This game was one of many tough ones on our schedule."

Kim Mulkey asked her players several questions to help them compartmentalize the result and learn lessons they could apply the next time they face the Gamecocks (6:21):

"When the game was over, the message was: What do you think? Are we any good? Did we just hang on? Did we get blown out? I made each of them talk about what they could have done individually through the course of a very, very close game.

"Next time you play them or next time we’re on that court, what can you do better? Just talk about it, and hold yourselves accountable, and walk out of there not too low, not too down."

Mulkey also explained that her message to the Tigers would have been the same had they snapped their losing streak against the Gamecocks.

"If we had won, I’d given them the same message. You don’t walk out here excited like you just won another national championship. Act like you’ve been there."

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Kim Mulkey's LSU Tigers remain in the top 10 of AP rankings despite losing to South Carolina

Coach Kim Mulkey of the LSU Tigers (Photo: Getty)

Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers put the loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks behind them by beating the Texas A&M Aggies 64-51 at home on Sunday to record their 21st win of the season.

The Tigers are yet to lose at Pete Maravich Assembly Center this campaign, winning their first 13 games. The victory helped the Tigers retain their place inside the top 10 of the latest Associated Press rankings.

They dropped two spots, though, due to their loss to the second-ranked South Carolina, with LSU down to No. 7.