LSU Tigers women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey told Iowa basketball sensation Caitlin Clark she is glad she is graduating after the Hawkeyes knocked her team out of the NCAA tournament on Monday.
Mulkey did so with class and admitted that her team’s attempts to defend against Clark were fruitless.
While LSU defeated Iowa last year in the national championship game, the Iowa star got her revenge Monday night in Albany, New York, in an Elite Eight performance that was gritty and fun to watch.
Mulkey spoke to Clark after the game briefly as the Tigers prepared to head back to Baton Rouge and with the Hawkeyes headed for the Final Four.
Did y’all see Kim Mulkey hug Caitlin Clark last night? pic.twitter.com/DBZ7nCOevW
— Mandy Powers Norrell (@MPowersNorrell) April 2, 2024
In her postgame news conference, the LSU coach explained what was said between her and arguably the greatest female college basketball player of all time.
Mulkey opened by saying she had nothing but respect for Clark, who she said is impossible to guard.
“She’s just a generational player,” the coach said of the point guard who gave her team fits all evening. “She just makes everybody around her better.”
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“That’s what the great ones do. I think they had a kid who scored 21 and 18, she had 12 assists,” she added. “Caitlin Clark is not going to beat you by herself. It’s what she does to make those other teammates better that helps her score points and them score points to beat you.”
As for what Mulkey said to Clark during their embrace?
She told reporters she informed the star she was happy that the Bayou Bengals would never face her again.
“What did I say to her? I said, ‘I sure am glad you leaving. I said, ‘Girl, you something else.’ Never seen anything like it,” Mulkey said with a smile and nothing but class.
Kim Mulkey on what she told Caitlin Clark in the handshake line: “I sure am glad you leaving. Girl, you something else. Never seen anything like it.” 😅 pic.twitter.com/tIaW8ASBLD
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) April 2, 2024
LSU survived an early offensive onslaught from Iowa and Clark during the first quarter of Monday night’s game and led by 5 points.
In the second quarter, the Tigers again stormed back to tie the game at 45 going into halftime.
However, in the second half, Clark’s historic greatness during her senior campaign separated the teams.
Caitlin Clark is UNREAL 🤯
She has 28 PTS and six three-pointers early into the third quarter.
(via @IowaWBB)
pic.twitter.com/p0IP119OqJ— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 2, 2024
Surrounded by a cast of selfless teammates, the 6-foot guard hit dagger after dagger and iced LSU’s hopes of a championship repeat.
CAITLIN CLARK HITS HER 8TH THREE OF THE NIGHT 🔥pic.twitter.com/sLzHuyfjfY
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 2, 2024
Caitlin Clark casually putting up 9 threes like it’s NOTHING. She can’t be stopped! #Iowa @Cookie3_com pic.twitter.com/LgT63nYSnr
— Sofu Zoldyck (@sofuzoldyck) April 2, 2024
Clark played all 40 minutes of the game, hit nine 3-pointers and scored 41 points — averaging just slightly above one point per minute in the highly anticipated rematch of last year’s title game.
Mulkey might very well have her team back in the same position next season, but she won’t have to face Clark — who can’t stop shattering records:
It was Records galore for @jerseymikes Naismith Women’s College POY Finalist Caitlin Clark last night 🔥
– NEW All-Time 3PT Leader in a Career
– NEW All-Time AST Leader in NCAA Tourney Career
– NEW All-Time 3PT Leader in NCAA Tourney Career
– TIED Most 3PT in a Tourney Game… pic.twitter.com/XBaTuMcU2j— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) April 2, 2024
Clark and Iowa will face off against UConn at 9:30 p.m. ET Friday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The game will be telecast on ESPN.
In the other Final Four semifinal, top-ranked South Carolina will take on N.C. State at 7 p.m.
