UCLA-LSU is America’s sweethearts versus its basketball villains

Ben Bolch March 29, 2024

This isnt just a basketball game, its a reckoning. Picking sides goes well beyond school allegiance.

Do you prefer Americas sweethearts or its dirty debutantes? Milk and cookies or Louisiana hot sauce?

The team that wants to grow womens basketball or the one seemingly hellbent on dividing it?

The coach who embraces reporters or the one who attacks them?

The tender star player or the one who taunts?

When UCLA plays defending national champion Louisiana State on Saturday at MVP Arena in the Sweet 16 of the Albany 2 Regional, the contrasts dont stop with blue and purple.

Some might see this as good versus evil. Right versus wrong. Inclusive versus divisive.

Theres little debate as to which side of the ledger Tigers coach Kim Mulkey falls on. Long after she reportedly failed to support Brittney Griner, in essence telling her gay star to keep her sexual status to herself, Mulkey has stumbled again in the wake of an imminent Washington Post profile on the veteran coach.

Last week, Mulkey threatened to sue the newspaper without knowing the contents of the story, labeling it a hit piece. Without naming the reporter, she described the Posts Kent Babb as sleazy. She slammed the paper for giving her a deadline to respond to questions while also disclosing that she had refused requests going back two years to sit for an interview.

In doing so, Mulkey turned a non-story into a blockbuster. How many more readers will that Post story get as a result of her grandstanding?

Just as befuddling, Mulkey sidestepped the issue Friday, refusing to address the story

she

created. The first two questions Mulkey fielded at her media session involved the Post story. The coach dropped the ball each time.

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Reporter: Whats it been like kind of waiting for that story to come out?

Mulkey: I did make a statement, and thats all Ill comment on at this time because all I am focused on is to try and win another basketball game. Thank you for asking, though.

Reporter: Not to belabor the point, but from what you have been told or what you have been asked …

Mulkey: Im only here today to talk about the next game.

How convenient for someone who couldnt stop talking about the story less than a week ago. Shes only mum when it suits her.

Mulkeys best player also cant get out of her own way. A year after she taunted Caitlin Clark by giving the Iowa superstar the ring finger and mocking Clarks hand-waving gesture late in the national championship game, Angel Reese is at it again. When Middle Tennessees Anastasiia Boldyreva fouled out of a second-round loss to LSU, Reese waved goodbye as a crying Boldyreva headed to the bench.

The wave led to significant blowback on social media, sparking a virtual shrug from Reese.

clickbait everything i [sic] do keep going viral, Reese posted to the social media platform X after the game.

“clickbait everything i do keep going viral”

— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) March 24, 2024

Then theres UCLA, which operates in the saintly shadows while being as wholesome as a miniature stuffed Bruin mascot. Close gives reporters unfettered access to players and practices, repeatedly thanking them for trumpeting the emergence of the womens game.

Shes unfailingly cheery, loudly announcing her presence early Friday morning after the teams flight was delayed by 2 hours and arrived close to midnight.

Coach is here! Close said joyfully in a corridor outside the interview area.

Her players reflect her sunny disposition while being as controversial as a pledge drive for underprivileged children.

Shes a little bit cornier than us, senior guard Charisma Osborne said, but yeah, I think she really sets the standard.

So, maybe they really are Americas sweethearts?

Sure, I kind of like that, star forward Lauren Betts said.

Said Osborne: I like it too!

Added Betts: But dont get it twisted were not sweethearts on the court. It doesnt mean were soft.

Kiki Rice’s scoring flurry rallies UCLA past Creighton and into the Sweet 16

They also wont give in to easy narratives. Betts and Osborne disputed the notion that Reese lacked class, and they should know they played with her for Team USA last summer.

Shes an amazing teammate and I really enjoyed playing with her, Betts said. I think shes an amazing person and obviously when it comes to basketball youre trying to win, so its like, whatever you have to do to win, I dont think that people should judge her for that.

Said Osborne: Shes really nice off the court as well and people dont always see that.

Everyone can see for themselves Saturday. How will the nations most polarizing team conduct itself versus the one known for its class? The reckoning is here.