In the aftermath of the highly charged SEC Tournament championship game, sports commentator Shannon Sharpe has voiced his disapproval of LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey's remarks regarding the altercation involving players from LSU and South Carolina during the SEC title game on Sunday. The fight, which has garnered significant media attention, might lead to suspensions affecting the NCAA Tournament's first round.
Sharpe, known for his opinions on FS1's “Undisputed,” contrasted Mulkey's response with that of South Carolina's head coach, Dawn Staley, noting a disparity in their reactions to the conflict. While Staley sought to minimize the situation, Mulkey appeared to intensify it with comments that Sharpe found questionable, particularly her wishing that Kamilla Cardoso had been more physically assertive against Angel Reese.
“You see what Dawn Staley said and how she tried to downplay it, and you see Kim Mulkey, how she tried to up play it. I understand this is the SEC championship game, there’s a lot riding on it. LSU, if I’m not mistaken hasn’t beaten South Carolina in a very very long time. And now we’re in the SEC championship.,” Sharpe said, via ESPN. “Sometimes, when emotion is high, logic is low. And that is not what women’s college basketball is about, especially with the love and support that the women’s game has received this year, thanks to Caitlin Clark, thanks to USC, JuJu Watkins and some of the others. But for you to say, ‘I wish Cardoso would have pushed Angel Reese.' Really? Is that what you want? You want to see a fight? You want the women’s game to be marred by a fight?”
‘I wish she would have pushed Angel Reese'
Mulkey's post-game statement, “I wish she would have pushed Angel Reese, you don't push a girl who is that size when you're 6'7,” sparked Sharpe's rebuttal.
The incident in question occurred when Flau'jae Johnson fouled Milaysia Fulwiley, which led to Kamilla Cardoso pushing Johnson to the floor. This sparked a rush from both teams' benches onto the court. Following the altercation, Cardoso was expelled from the game, along with any player from both the South Carolina and LSU women's basketball teams who had left their benches. According to the rules, these ejected players will face a one-game suspension, sidelining them for their respective teams' first NCAA Tournament match.
In the aftermath, South Carolina lost Cardoso and nearly its entire bench, except for one player. LSU saw all of its bench players ejected for leaving the bench area, leaving six players for South Carolina and five for LSU to continue the game. South Carolina ultimately beat LSU 79-72.
Despite the controversy, both teams are positioned well for the NCAA Tournament, with South Carolina likely securing a No. 1 seed and LSU not far behind.
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