LSU women's basketball was defeated by Iowa 94-87 on Monday night, ultimately ending their March Madness run. Caitlin Clark led the charge for Iowa with 41 points and 12 assists in the 2023 championship rematch. For LSU, Flau-jae Johnson led the team in scoring with 23 points, while Angel Reese added 17 points, 20 rebounds, four assists, and two steals. The game itself was exciting, but one of the primary storylines that is receiving attention occurred before tip-off.
Footage before the game appeared to reveal that the LSU women's basketball team left the court before the national anthem was played. Meanwhile, Iowa was present for the national anthem. So was LSU trying to make a statement or was it an accident? LSU head coach Kim Mulkey addressed the question after the game.
“Honestly, I don't even know when the anthem was played,” Mulkey said, via Gifdsports on X (formerly Twitter). “We kind of have a routine where we are on the floor and then they come off at the 12 minute mark. We just, I don't know, we come in and we do our pregame stuff. I'm sorry. Listen, that's nothing intentionally done.”
Mulkey on LSU women's basketball national anthem controversy: “That's nothing intentionally done”
Mulkey said LSU women's basketball did not “intentionally” skip the national anthem. Still, the situation drew some backlash on social media.
Of course, players and coaches choosing to kneel or remain in the locker room for the national anthem has been a subject of controversy for years now. Some people fully support the decision, while others are completely against it.
Fans reacted in a similar manner to LSU's actions on Monday. Despite Mulkey saying it was not intentional, some fans harshly criticized LSU while others supported them.
As for the game itself, LSU made things interesting. Clark and Iowa have dominated throughout the season, yet LSU held strong. Johnson and Reese performed well and did everything they could to help LSU earn the victory.
In the end, though, Iowa emerged victorious. Clark, who is expected to be selected first overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, was unstoppable on Monday.
Regardless, LSU women's basketball won the national championship during the 2022-23 season. It was a special campaign that they should still be proud of. LSU would have obviously loved to have repeat as champions this season, but Iowa appears destined to go all the way barring an upset.
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