The LSU Tigers opened the season on a dream run, ripping off eight straight 100-point performances, setting NCAA records, and looking every bit like a team ready to return to the summit under Kim Mulkey. But once SEC play tipped off, the picture changed.

For the first time in the Kim Mulkey era, the LSU Tigers opened SEC play by dropping their first two games. After avoiding ranked opponents through 14 games and posting 11 100-point outings, the step up in competition has finally shown. When Mulkey addressed it, she didn’t sugarcoat anything.

“If we hadn’t played that schedule, we might be sitting here with a lot of losses,” Mulkey said, per an X post from Cory Diaz of the USA Today Network. She continued in the same press conference, offering an even blunter assessment, which was later shared on X by Matthew Brune of On3:

“We’re not tough enough. You either have it or you don’t, and we’re not tough enough. That goes for everyone in that locker room. We can make it better, but I don’t know if you can run drills and fix that. Toughness is mental. It’s who you are. It’s your demeanor.”

Scheduling softer opponents early has long been part of Kim Mulkey’s approach at LSU. Even during their championship season, LSU didn’t face a ranked opponent until the final week of December and still went on to win the Big Dance. So it’s easy to see the thinking behind her scheduling philosophy.

But there’s a fair counterargument here. A tougher nonconference schedule might have better equipped LSU to handle in-game adversity at this stage of the season, especially in close games against opponents that truly matter.

We’ve heard coaches like Kim Caldwell speak openly about why challenging schedules are important, and the early results back it up. And so far, the results support that thinking. Credit to the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, who have opened SEC play at 2–0 after embracing that tougher path.

However, as Kim Mulkey pointed out, scheduling tougher opponents early could have just as easily resulted in more losses. That comment may hint at a deeper issue. Mulkey might simply be unhappy with parts of the roster right now, or with how consistently the team is executing her game plans.

To open SEC play, the LSU Tigers have already turned the ball over a staggering 32 times. In the loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, they were dominated on the glass, and against the Vanderbilt Commodores, foul discipline fell apart, allowing Vanderbilt to attempt 26 free throws. Those aren’t scheduling issues. Those are execution problems.

Whether this team can handle the demands and show up consistently is still something to keep an eye on.

Plenty for Kim Mulkey to Fix Moving Forward

We recently picked the LSU Tigers to reach the Final Four ahead of the South Carolina Gamecocks, while also noting the uncertainty around how LSU would fare against ranked opponents. If things continue on this path, we may have to eat our words. That said, the season’s far from over, and there’s time to turn it around.

But the schedule won’t wait. Games are coming thick and fast, and none of them will be easy. No. 2 Texas and No. 8 Oklahoma will be licking their chops to boost their Selection Sunday resumes if LSU doesn’t clean things up quickly. LSU face Georgia first, a game they’re expected to win, with ESPN giving them a 91.3% chance before the tougher tests arrive.

Mulkey will want to see LSU keep dominating the boards, fix the turnover mess, and stay efficient offensively. The bigger worry is on the other end of the floor, where defense has slipped. And against Vanderbilt, Flau’jae Johnson, who’s expected to be the leader of this roster, never really found her rhythm.

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Johnson went 0-for-4 and didn’t score in LSU’s 65–61 loss to Vanderbilt. The last time that happened was back in February 2023 against South Carolina, and it’s only the third time in her college career she’s finished a game without a made shot.

Players like her will need to step up in a big way if the LSU Tigers want to make real noise this season. Until that happens, expect more struggles against ranked opponents and an early, forgettable exit in the Big Dance.