LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey was ejected from a game against Northwestern State on Sunday night while her team was up by 41 points and had to be held back by several members of her team. The Tigers were dominating their intrastate opponent, but that didn’t stop Mulkey from absolutely losing it on an official during the fourth quarter after she disagreed with a charge call on guard Aneesah Morrow. While Mulkey went after the ref, star forward Angel Reese and other LSU players tried to hold back the coaching great, and after the 81–36 win, Reese had the perfect reaction to the whole debacle.
LSU Football added a pair of key Transfer Portal targets after revealing their commitments to the program. It's been a busy week for LSU. With nine total departures through the first two weeks of the portal and a pair of additions on Friday, the offseason is in full swing.
The Additions:
Zavion Thomas: Wide Receiver
Jardin Gilbert: Safety
The Departures:
Sage Ryan: Defensive Back
Fitzgerald West: Defensive Lineman
Marlon Martinez: Offensive Lineman
Quency Wiggins: Defensive End
Jackson McGohan: Tight End
Bryce Langston: Defensive Lineman
Kevontre Bradford: Running Back
Armoni Goodwin: Running Back
Laterrance Welch: Cornerback
The NCAA has since agreed to a court deal with seven states on Friday that would allow all two-time transfers to be eligible to play immediately without retaliation from the NCAA until the end of the spring sports season. That means Cook will be able to play for LSU for the remainder of this season without any potential restrictions.
Jalen Cook had long been expected to be the star of the LSU season. Even with the delay of his season debut due to NCAA transfer eligibility rules, there were big expectations when he checked in against No. 19 Texas on Saturday. It took him seven minutes, but his first make was a deep 3-pointer off the dribble, the type of difficult shot few others on the LSU team can make.
Cook played all 20 minutes of the second half, helping spark a near comeback that pulled LSU within seven after an earlier 22-point deficit. He finished with 13 points and six assists. With all eyes on Cook and his impact on the Tiger offense, it was the defensive end that ultimately sank any chances of winning. Texas’ offense slowed down during LSU’s comeback attempt, but it caught second wind to close out the 96-85 win.
LSU was on its heels throughout the game, clearly overpowered by Texas’ offensive firepower. Veteran starter Jordan Wright was unproductive with two points in the first half, but he turned it on in the second frame, finishing with a career high 33 points.
The LSU Gymnastics program shined at its annual Gym 101 showcase on Saturday evening inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center as the Tigers showcased 50 routines ahead of the 2024 season.
The Gym 101 showcase had a different format this year compared to previous ones, with the team splitting into two groups and alternating between two events to help prepare the Tigers for meets in the spring that will feature more than two teams. The first rotation of the meet started with one group on the beam and the other on the floor.
The night saw multiple debut’s with routines from freshmen Konnor McClain, Amari Drayton and Kylie Coen and newcomers Savannah Schoenherr and Jillian Hoffman. The veteran duo of Cammy Hall and Kiya Johnson also made their returns in the showcase after suffering injury last season.
TIGER TEA!!!! Rod Wave’s recent stop on his United States tour had a shocking feature. The 25-year-old Florida rapper brought out rising hoop star and rapper Flau’jae Johnson to perform onstage with him. During the Dec. 13 Atlanta stop of his Nostalgia tour, the “Rags to Riches” artist brought Louisiana State University player Johnson onstage to perform. The basketball player, named 2023 SEC Freshman of the Year, performed her track titled “Big 4.” According to TMZ Sports, the LSU guard was an unlisted feature on Wave’s Nostalgia tour alongside big names Ari Lennox, Toosi, G Herbo, and Eelmatic.
The player has already dropped several tracks and music videos in her burgeoning rap career. Her “Big 4” music video has nearly 1.5 million views, and another track, “Karma,” featuring rapper 2Rare, has nearly 1 million views. As previously reported, Johnson performed for LeBron James and his friends and family for his “Uninterrupted” party this summer. She also performed for LSU basketball fans in April after the Tigers won the NCAA title. Johnson is signed with Roc Nation, and says she has high hopes for a collaboration with lyricists J. Cole and Lil Wayne.