LSU coach Kim Mulkey takes dig at USC’s Kamilla Cardoso after SEC title game skirmish
LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey made it clear: The altercation at the end of Sunday’s SEC championship game against South Carolina was “ugly” and something nobody wants to be a part of.
But in her postgame press conference following USC’s 79-72 win over LSU, Mulkey also criticized USC center Kamilla Cardoso for her role in the skirmish, which Mulkey described as “uncalled for.”
Cardoso was ejected after shoving LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson to the ground during the fourth-quarter altercation.
Johnson had previously been “jawing,” Mulkey said, with another USC player after she intentionally fouled USC guard MiLaysia Fulwiley to prevent a steal and score. Johnson and USC’s Ashlyn Watkins bumped into each other just before Cardoso’s shove.
“I’ll tell you this,” Mulkey said. “I wish she (Cardoso) would have pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a kid — you’re 6-8. Don’t push somebody that little. That was uncalled for, in my opinion. Let those two girls that were jawing, let them go at it.”
Here’s what else Mulkey said about the altercation, which made national headlines.
Kim Mulkey addresses skirmish
“Well, let me say this. Do you realize there was only one foul called on each team (in the fourth quarter up to that point) with two minutes to play in the fourth quarter? Are you kidding me?”
“That might have created some of that. Not the way we play — we’re gonna foul your ass. Not the way they play — they’re gonna foul your ass. But you only blew that whistle one time. Think about that now.”
“Flau’jae, from what I saw, intentionally fouled Fulwiley because she stripped her. Great move, because she’s gonna get a layup right there. And then some jawing went on with her (Johnson) and another (USC) player. And then the next thing I know, Cardoso just waylaid her.”
“And so I ran, because somebody came out of the stands — I think it was Flau’jae’s brother — trying to keep him from doing anything crazy. But that was all I know.”
“I can’t tell you from my bench how many left the court. Obviously, they saw it on film and said everybody had to go. And then I think one player for South Carolina didn’t leave the bench.”
“But my question is — I don’t really know the rules — why weren’t the coaches tossed if they both left the bench?Wouldn’t that have been a hell of an ending? But I guess it’s just the players that leave the bench area. I don’t know.”
“It’s ugly. It’s not good. No one wants to be a part of that. No one wants to see to see that ugliness.”
“We didn’t have any ejections. They had an ejection. They told me Cardoso was the one that got ejected for fighting.”
This story was originally published March 10, 2024 at 6:38 PM.
