The LSU Tigers suffered a 65-61 loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville Sunday night, which offered the Tigers their second straight conference loss and also helped Vanderbilt maintain their undefeated record.
While speaking to reporters following the game, head coach Kim Mulkey admitted the team has a lot to work to do — but also questioned a missed call that took place right at the game’s end, when Vanderbilt guard Mikayla Blakes appeared to step out of bounds while receiving a pass.
Kim Mulkey Slams Disputed Mikayla Blakes Call After Upset
Did Mikayla Blakes step out of bounds?
Blakes appeared to step out of bounds while receiving a pass near the very end of the game, but officials didn’t make a call. At the time, Vanderbilt had a three-point lead over the Tigers. LSU fouled Blakes, who made the free throw that all but clinched the game for the Commodores.
Why didn’t LSU challenge the call?
LSU was unable to challenge the out-of-bounds violation since officials did not call it live in the game. Unlike the WNBA, where the call could have been challenged with or without the in-game call, NCAA regulations specifically state that a call can only be made if the official did so in game. This remains true even if the team still has a remaining timeout at the time of such a violation.
Coaches have the ability to “determine whether free throws shall be awarded when a foul is committed in close proximity to a change of team control,” per NCAA rules. But in this game, no team control change occurred.
What did Kim Mulkey say?
Mulkey had plenty to say while speaking to reporters are the game. As she put it, a call in favor of LSU could have changed the course of the game.
“I begged for [a call]. I watched the same kind of thing in a UCLA game last year. I thought the dead ball would come. I tried to tell them it was critical. We get the ball back down, three, I think.”
Mulkey also insisted that she attempted to have officials review the violation, but was shut down. She continued, “I was screaming, and then there was a foul. If you go back to that moment, you don’t have the foul. I don’t know how you review something when there’s live action going on, other than screaming. And I tried.”
Who does LSU play next?
The Tigers have a slate of tough games ahead of them. LSU will next meet Georgia Thursday, host Texas at home Sunday, and then travel to Oklahoma for a game on Jan. 18.
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