If you wanted to see a tussle between two aggressive SEC teams, the LSU-Ole Miss game on Thursday might be it. The headline from the game was that Kim Mulkey’s team clinched a 78-70 win, but it wasn’t short of on-court drama and passion either.

One such moment from the game unfolded in the third quarter when LSU freshman Grace Knox made an aggressive block on Rebels forward Cotie McMahon.

Ole Miss was leading the game 52-45 in the third quarter when McMahon dribbled with ease towards the Tigers’ basket and was in a perfect position to score a layup. However, the freshman came from the left court and made a hard foul that sent McMahon tumbling to the floor, leaving Ole Miss head coach Yolette McPhee-McCuin frustrated from the sidelines. She had to be held back by her staff.

The LSU freshman didn’t stop there, though. She followed it with a spirited celebration aimed at the Rebels’ forward, earning her a technical.

Surprisingly, head coach Mulkey chose a more silent path about the whole situation.

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When asked if she asked the refs why Knox’s foul was a technical in her post-game press conference, Mulkey chose to be diplomatic. “I didn’t ask. Did she get all ball? Did she hit her? Or did she taunt her? I don’t know. I didn’t ask,” she said.

Knox was substituted from the game immediately after the foul. And she didn’t participate in the game any further. In her 10 minutes on the court, she scored three points, gave a rebound, and made two blocks. Even though she stayed on the sidelines for the remainder of the game, the freshman continued the same taunting that got her a technical from the bench.

And while Knox’s aggressive personality stood out for the Tigers on defense, Mulkey’s press conference also quietly suggests that the repercussions the former faced for her actions weren’t wrong. McMahon was able to convert both the free throws from the line for the foul. For the technical that the Rebels received after the TV timeout, McMahon split one of her two throws, positioning the Rebels in a 10-point lead.

Still, at the end of the day, these unguarded points eventually didn’t cost the Tigers much.

MiLaysia Fulwiley and Flau’jae Johnson combined to stage a late fourth-quarter comeback for Mulkey’s team. Fulwiley led the scoring of the bench for the Tigers with 26 points, with 10 of 18 from open play, and Johnson chipped in with 18.

All in all, the game in itself was very physical. Both teams combined for 38 fouls in the entire game, with Ole Miss committing 20 and the Tigers 18. The free-throw line eventually played a big role in widening the gap between the two teams. LSU scored an impressive 16-20 from the line while the Rebels left 7 points unused, which cost them big time on their home turf.

Rebels’ talisman Cotie McMahon did impress with 25 points, but missed several chances from the field too. The Rebels’ forward scored just 8 of 25 from open play as her team failed to score a single basket from open play in the fourth quarter, and Kim Mulkey knows that’s where the game turned.

Kim Mulkey Decodes a Tactical Change That Helped Her Team Defend in the Fourth Quarter

Going into the fourth quarter of the game, the LSU Tigers were trailing by 10 points at The Sandy and John Black Pavilion. With Cotie McMahon and Cristeen Iwuala, coach Yo’s team was precise with the baskets, and it all came down to one slight change that Kim Mulkey needed to turn the game in her favor.

“I think we made a decision as a staff to go big was very effective,” Mulkey said while speaking of her decision in the press conference. “I just thought they were taking my two young freshmen off the drive, and I didn’t go big, thinking that they could move laterally a little bit better. I’m not sure I ever thought I would do it in this game tonight, but I did, and it worked.”

The LSU Tigers’ head coach’s trick worked as 6’5 center Kate Koval turned the game in minutes with her staggering performance on the boards and near the paint. She didn’t just prevent the Rebels from scoring; she also drove on loose balls to gain possession. Fulwiley, on the other hand, continued her scoring prowess with 10 points alone in the last quarter.

With his victory, the LSU Tigers improved their record to 23-4 and 9-4 in the season. And this was a much-needed win, given their defeat in a star-studded game against South Carolina last week.

Now, they are in a comfortable spot for the National Championships next month. However, before that, they still have a three-game stretch against Missouri, Tennessee, and Mississippi State. Their next game against Missouri will tip off on Sunday (Feb 22).