When Kim Mulkey was searching for her first-ranked SEC win as the head coach of the LSU Tigers, it came at the expense of the then No. 2 Texas Longhorns, a team many believed could challenge the UConn Huskies for the top ranking. The rematch, however, told a very different story. Texas outplayed LSU 77–64, and coach Mulkey was quick to credit the player who swung the game in Texas’ favor.

In the postgame press conference, Kim Mulkey heaped praise on senior guard Rori Harmon, who has arguably emerged as Texas’ most important player this season.

“I thought she was just what Rori has always been,” Kim Mulkey said. “I’ve been watching her for a long time. She’s going to continue to harass you, and she’s going to keep running their offense. She played more against us tonight than she did in Baton Rouge.”

The last time these two sides met, Rori Harmon struggled to make her usual impact. Fatigue was evident as she finished with just two points on 1-for-7 shooting and never saw the floor in the fourth quarter while the LSU Tigers edged the Texas Longhorns by five.

“What makes her so effective is, you know, she’s a guard that’s out there. She’s kind of small in stature, so she’s down in a stance and you think you’re going to get by her, but she’s got enough quickness to not let you get by her,” Kim Mulkey continued. “She understands the game. When you’ve been doing it five years, you know where the ball needs to go, you know how to run an offense. She’s good at the mid-range jumper. She’s just their little general out there.”

Rori Harmon finished the night with 11 points, five assists, and six steals, and she made history along the way. Harmon became the Texas Longhorns’ all-time leader in career steals, breaking the previous record of 347 and pushing the mark to 351. But hey, the records do not stop there.

For those unaware, Rori Harmon already holds the program record for assists with 894. Remarkably, she is also the only active Division I player to lead her team in both career steals and assists. As Vic Schaefer put it, “When she leaves the University of Texas, she’s not only going to be the all-time greatest point guard to ever play here. She’ll be the only player in the history of the women’s game to have her numbers.”

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And now it becomes clear why Kim Mulkey could not stop praising the veteran Texas guard throughout the press conference. Mulkey also admitted that her team “lost their composure a little bit,” something that was evident as the game unfolded.

The Lady Tigers entered the game with the nation’s top offense, averaging nearly 99 points per contest. But the Longhorns defense silenced them, holding LSU to just 42 percent shooting on the night. While the Tigers won the rebounding battle 40–36, Texas made the difference with superior ball control, committing only 10 turnovers compared to LSU’s 19. The Longhorns converted those mistakes into 12 points, while LSU managed just eight.

Not everything is lost for Kim Mulkey and her side. With several games still ahead, the emphasis will be on regrouping and finishing the season strong.

What’s next for Kim Mulkey and co?

The loss snapped LSU’s seven-game winning streak, the longest active run in the conference. Kim Mulkey’s side now sit at 21–3 overall and 7–3 in SEC play. With six games still remaining in the regular season, the road ahead will not be simple, especially if the head coach hopes to strengthen her resume ahead of the big dance.

LSU still has games remaining against the Auburn Tigers, Tennessee Lady Vols, Mississippi State Bulldogs, South Carolina Gamecocks, Ole Miss Rebels, and Missouri Tigers. Matchups against ranked opponents like Tennessee and South Carolina will be anything but easy. And then there is Mississippi State, the league’s giant killers, who have already picked up statement wins against Kentucky and Tennessee.

It will be fascinating to see how LSU finishes the season, but Kim Mulkey will surely be eyeing to push beyond an Elite Eight finish, and for that to happen, the Lady Tigers will need to raise their level. Do you see LSU making a deep run in the Big Dance this year? Let us know in the comments below.