As the buzzer sounded, with Texas up by seven, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey, typically one of the most intense and fiery coaches in college sports, had an unusual look: quiet and somber.
The defeat wasn’t unexpected, but it was bitter nonetheless. One of the pithy phrases that her 1984 Olympic assistant coach was famous for rings true in such moments.
“When life kicks you, let it kick you forward,” said Kay Yow, who served as head coach at North Carolina State for nearly three and a half decades, according to ESPN.
In women’s basketball, few coaches are held in as high a regard as Yow. Despite only making it to the Final Four once in her 34 seasons as the head coach of the Wolfpack, Yow built the program into one of the main powerhouses of the ACC, winning five regular-season conference championships and four conference tournament championships.
However, that’s not what truly cemented her legacy. The legend of Yow came with her time as head coach of Team USA. After working as an assistant coach for seven years, she became the team leader ahead of the 1988 Olympics.
In 1987, she received some of the worst news that anyone may get in their life: she had breast cancer.
“I feel like I had zero control over getting cancer, but I have 100 percent control over how I will respond to dealing with cancer,” Yow said, according to ESPN.
It would take a lot more than that to shake a woman like Yow.
Her team proceeded to dominate every team in their path, culminating with an all-time showdown against an undefeated Soviet squad. Despite the Soviets having a size advantage, Team USA swept them aside for a 108-88 win.
She battled with her cancer for the following two decades, winning all the same. She never permitted it to shake her. In 2007, despite undergoing active radiation therapy and having missed half the season, she returned to wipe out rival Virginia, eventually notching her 700th win against No. 2 North Carolina.
When she passed away in 2009, Nike took out a full-page ad in The News and Observer, Raleigh’s largest newspaper, memorializing her strength and perseverance.
“Don’t wallow in self-pity, or you’ll drown. You have to swish your feet and get out,” Yow said, according to ESPN.
Nobody would’ve blamed Mulkey if she had been a bit testier during the post-game presser. Watching your team take a commanding lead only to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory is a terrible feeling.
But she kept a smile, cracked her usual jokes, and looked forward to the next game. That’s just the kind of coach she is.
The following week, the Tigers took on Georgia in the annual Play4Kay game, held every year as a fundraiser for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. They shed their purple and gold, instead donning pink and white.
“Your attitude determines your altitude,” Yow said, according to ESPN.
Although the Bulldogs ranked towards the bottom of the SEC, LSU took nothing for granted. With Aneesah Morrow out with a foot injury, the Tigers had a significant hole in their offense.
However, LSU adapted. Jersey Wolfenbarger got 12 rebounds and put up 16 points in one of the best performances of her career. With a similarly impressive performance by Sa’Myah Smith, Georgia’s defense dissolved.
The Tigers cruised to a 79-63 win.
The game was a prime example of LSU’s greatest strength: depth. While the Tigers’ offense typically leans on its big three, the bench is still stacked with immense talent. Furthermore, LSU played with an unexpected ferocity, with Mulkey noting that Wolfenbarger and Smith both stepped up and played more physically than usual.
“A kite always rises against the wind,” Yow said, according to ESPN.
Next week, the purple and gold returned, and it looked like tough times were back. Having lost two away games against top-15 teams, the Tigers entered their game against No. 14 Kentucky with a bit of trepidation. This fear was confirmed as the Wildcats dominated throughout the first half, as LSU struggled to score and piled on turnovers.
The locker room talks must’ve been tense. However, when the Tigers went back to the court, they carried some of that Coach Yow energy. While Aneesah Morrow and Flau’Jae Johnson both had solid performances, combining for 25 points, Mikaylah Williams played like a woman possessed, scoring 24 points, 15 of which were in the second half, and ultimately sealed LSU’s victory with a critical 3-pointer in the final minute.
Shayeann Daye-Wilson also had a highlight night, applying immense pressure on Georgia Amoore, Kentucky’s primary scorer. Amoore was frequently pressured into making high-difficulty shots and could only get four points in the second half.
The taste of victory wipes any bitterness from the mouth. Mulkey got her 750th career win, and no shower feels better than a Gatorade dunk.
By embodying Coach Yow’s ethos of perseverance, passion, and dedication to the game, the Tigers orchestrated two of their season’s best performances.
“When life kicks you, let it kick you forward,” Yow said.
