LSU coach Kim Mulkey renews her attack on ‘sleazy’ reporter after threatening to SUE the Washington Post… but insists the feud is not a distraction after Tigers survive a scare at March Madness

After surviving an early scare from Middle Tennessee State, LSU Tigers coach Kim Mulkey continued to push back against a yet-to-be-published Washington Post report about her and her program.

The story has not been published, but Mulkey has already referred to it as a “hatchet job” and has threatened to sue the reporter and/or the newspaper if it is published.

That led USA Today’s Cory Diaz to ask Mulkey if his team was in any way distracted by the way the coach was speaking or by the impending story.

‘No, listen man, we’re not going to let a sleazy reporter distract us from what we’re trying to do. Absolutely not.

‘My kids didn’t even know I said that yesterday. That team is not involved in this.

‘They were shocked when they saw all this on the Internet. I don’t bring those things to my team.’

On Saturday, Mulkey threatened to sue the Washington Post over its plans to publish what she called a “false” story.

“I’m fed up and I’m not going to let the Washington Post attack this university, this incredible team of young women that I have, or me without a fight,” Mulkey said.

“I have hired the best defamation law firm in the country and I will sue the Washington Post if they publish a false story about me.”

That comes from a Post reporter, who Mulkey said has been working for two years to “put together a hit piece” about her.

Mulkey, who won a national title last year with LSU, says she and the school were contacted by the reporter on Tuesday before their first-round game against Rice with a “dozen questions” and “demanded an answer” on Thursday. “before the start.” .

‘Are you kidding me? It was a ridiculous deadline that LSU and I couldn’t meet and the reporter knew it,” Mulkey said in his speech. “It was just an attempt to prevent me from commenting and an attempt to distract us from this tournament. It’s not going to work, friend.

She further alleged that The Post had contacted “disgruntled” former coaches and players to obtain “negative quotes” about her.

In Sunday’s game, the Tigers trailed the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders at the half, shooting 39 percent from the field.

But Angel Reese, Flau’jae Johnson and the rest of the Tigers stepped up in the second half, shooting a much better 48 percent from the floor to win 83-56.

“At halftime, my stomach was bubbling,” Johnson told reporters after the game. ‘I didn’t want to go home. I have nothing to do until summer!’

Reese, remembering when Mulkey said mid-game “I need you,” reflected on his coach’s words. “I just didn’t want to let my team down. I didn’t want this to be my last game. I didn’t have a great scoring night, but I did whatever it took.”

Next, LSU will face the winner of UCLA and Creighton.