Healing. A word so simple, yet we never truly understand its weight until life forces us to. LSU’s run in the SEC Tournament came to an end with a 56-49 semifinal loss to Texas, but for Kim Mulkey, basketball wasn’t the biggest thing on her mind. The fiery, passionate coach—always known for her animated presence on the sidelines—was noticeably subdued. 

The Tigers started their SEC Tournament on Friday against Florida, but Mulkey didn’t arrive in Greenville until game day due to personal reasons. Turns out, just a day after LSU’s regular-season finale against Ole Miss, she received devastating family news. An unexpected loss.

In her absence, associate head coach Bob Starkey took over preparations for the Florida game as an acting head coach. When Mulkey finally joined the team, she was there—but not in the way we’re used to seeing her. But despite everything, Mulkey was present for LSU’s dominant 101-87 win over Florida, though she let Starkey take the lead as head coach.

Against Texas, it was a similar story. The Lady Tigers coach sat on the bench, but managed her duties well, offering input here and there. However, she let Starkey run the show. After the game, she finally opened up. 

When asked if returning to the court was healing, Mulkey didn’t sugarcoat it. “No,” she admitted. “I love this great game of basketball, but it’s not more important than the time it takes to heal from an unexpected death. What I didn’t want is to be a distraction, and I don’t think I was. I think I was the biggest cheerleader.”

She wasn’t about to step in and take over, either. She told Bob that he would be coaching that night, acknowledging all the preparation he had done throughout the week. And at the end of the day, she knows there’s no quick fix. “Only time heals your heart,” she said, with a solemn look and sorrowful eyes. 

As she took her time out, Starkey did much of the “leg work” getting LSU ready for the SEC tournament. But sadly, they couldn’t make past semis.

Kim Mulkey’s Tigers fall without star players

With their roster in shambles, LSU didn’t go down without a fight. But in the end, their grit wasn’t enough. No. 1-ranked Texas pulled off a 56-49 win, holding LSU to its lowest scoring game under Kim Mulkey.

The loss came with a whirlwind of adversity. Flau’jae Johnson was already sidelined with a shin injury, Mulkey is just not herself, and then, the gut punch—Aneesah Morrow limped off the court in the third quarter after an awkward drive to the rim.

Before that, the double-double queen had been a force. Just the night before, she torched Florida for 36 points, helping LSU cruise into the semifinals. But against Texas, things got ugly. The offense sputtered, managing just 34% from the field, a dismal 2-of-8 from three, and a brutal 9-of-17 from the free-throw line. And while Texas wasn’t lighting it up either (32%), the Longhorns found just enough at the stripe to escape with a win. 

Madison Booker put LSU on notice with a much sharper performance than the first meeting between these teams. She finished with 25 points. With Morrow out, LSU needed someone to step up. 

Mikaylah Williams tried, shaking off a rough first half to finish with 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists. But beyond that, LSU didn’t get much help. Their bench chipped in just 13 points, and their offense stalled. 

The Tigers couldn’t buy a bucket early and had no answer for Booker defensively, trailing 29-23 at the break. Even after an even third quarter, Morrow’s absence loomed large. Texas capitalized just enough, stretching its lead to 48-40 with under three minutes to go.

Now, it’s all about regrouping for the NCAA Tournament. Kim Mulkey has been confident that LSU has done enough to lock in a top-four regional seed. But with three losses in their last four games that No. 2 seed status isn’t as certain anymore. 

The Lady Tigers will have to wait and see where they land.