Kim Mulkey is no stranger to winning championships. She has won three as a player and coach at Baylor, and now she has added a fourth one as the head coach of LSU. But this one might be the most special of all, as she led the Tigers to their first-ever women's basketball national title in her first season in Baton Rouge.
LSU entered the 2023 NCAA tournament as a No. 4 seed, but they played like a No. 1 seed throughout the postseason. They defeated No. 13 seed Belmont, No. 5 seed Oregon State, No. 1 seed South Carolina and No. 2 seed Stanford to reach the Final Four in Dallas, where they faced No. 1 seed UConn in the semifinals.
The Tigers stunned the Huskies with a dominant performance, winning 86-64 behind 28 points and 10 rebounds from senior forward Faustine Aifuwa and 21 points and nine assists from junior guard Khayla Pointer. LSU held UConn to its lowest scoring output of the season and snapped its streak of 13 consecutive Final Four appearances.
In the championship game, LSU faced another No. 1 seed, Iowa, led by superstar sophomore guard Caitlin Clark, who averaged 29 points per game in the tournament. Clark was unstoppable in the first half, scoring 27 points and keeping the Hawkeyes close. But LSU had too much firepower and depth for Iowa to handle, as five players scored in double figures for the Tigers.
LSU pulled away in the second half with a barrage of three-pointers and fast-break points, outscoring Iowa 57-40 after halftime. Pointer was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four after scoring 25 points and dishing out 11 assists in the title game. Aifuwa added 22 points and eight rebounds, while sophomore guard Tiara Young chipped in with 18 points off the bench.
Becoming the first SEC club to win the championship since South Carolina in 2017 was LSU, which concluded the season with a 33-6 record. Mulkey joined Geno Auriemma and Pat Summitt as the only coaches to win four or more championships. He also became the first coach to win national championships at two different schools.
Mulkey was emotional after the game, as she hugged her players and staff and celebrated with the LSU fans. She said she was proud of her team for overcoming adversity and playing with passion and joy.
For LSU," Mulkey declared. "For Louisiana, this is. This is for everyone who supported me and allowed me to return home and coach at this prestigious university. These young ladies worked so hard and trusted me and one another, and I'm so thrilled for them. They will always be champions."
Mulkey's position as one of the best coaches of all time was sealed by LSU's epic run which was among the most amazing tales of the 2023 NCAA women's basketball championship.