Kim Mulkey translated Louisiana’s “holy trinity” of onions, celery and bell peppers into basketball’s own recipe—protect the ball, rebound, defend—cooking up a 70-65 statement win over No. 2 Texas that instantly reboots LSU’s SEC title hunt.
The culinary sermon that reset LSU’s swagger
Two January losses—at No. 6 Kentucky and home to No. 7 Vanderbilt—left Kim Mulkey publicly questioning her team’s toughness. Rather than diagram another play, she reached for Louisiana’s culinary gospel: the “holy trinity” of diced onions, celery and bell peppers that anchors every gumbo and étouffée.
Mulkey’s translation was instant and memorable. She told players the Trinity is useless unless each piece is cut precisely and sweated together at the right temperature. Likewise, ball security, rebounding and defense must be executed with the same knife-edge focus. Miss any ingredient and the whole pot—like a season—spoils.
Texas tasted the roux first-hand
The 18-1 Longhorns arrived in Baton Rouge averaging 92 points per game and fresh off a 97-36 demolition of Auburn. LSU held them to 25 first-half points and 0-for-5 shooting from star guard Rori Harmon before halftime. The 44-35 rebounding edge LSU carved wasn’t accidental; Mulkey bolted a plastic bubble over the rim in practice all week, forcing every shot to carom live and every player to crash.
Williams’ 20-point masterpiece sealed the dish
Sophomore Mikaylah Williams plated the victory with a cold-blooded three-pointer at the 1:20 mark, part of her game-high 20 points. The make capped a week in which players ran baseline sprints for every missed box-out; Williams called the conditioning “instilled and enforced” to keep minds sharp in clutch moments.
Schaefer’s blunt admission: LSU “had more juice”
Vic Schaefer, whose Texas team had not trailed by double digits all season, labeled Sunday’s effort “by far our worst” and praised Mulkey for squeezing every drop of urgency from a roster featuring eight newcomers. Length in LSU’s 2-3 looks and relentless hand pressure turned normally routine Longhorn entry passes into live-ball turnovers, fueling 14 Texas giveaways.
Why the upset flips the entire SEC power map
- Bracket optics: LSU vaults back inside the top-eight seed line conversation and owns the league’s best “Quad 1” win to date.
- Texas vulnerabilities exposed: The Longhorns’ half-court offense shrinks when Harmon is blitzed; future opponents will copy LSU’s hard hedge and deny-side help.
- Transfer portal payoff: Mulkey’s rebuilt rotation—featuring Aneesah Morrow, Hailey Van Lith and freshman phenom MiLaysia Fulwiley—finally meshed timing and temperament.
Historical context: Mulkey’s first top-2 scalp at LSU
Before Sunday Mulkey’s biggest Baton Rouge conquest was a 2023 Sweet 16 win over No. 3 Utah. Knocking off a No. 2-ranked Texas gives her four career wins over AP top-2 teams, all coming with different programs, reinforcing her reputation as college basketball’s premier big-game chef.
What’s next for the Tigers
LSU travels to Ole Miss on Thursday before a Super-Bowl-Sunday showdown at Tennessee. Maintain the same “simmer” on defense and the Tigers could enter February with double-digit SEC wins and a clear runway to host the first two rounds of the 2026 NCAA Tournament in the PMAC.
Bottom line: Mulkey’s kitchen rules now dominate the league
By weaponizing Louisiana culture, Mulkey didn’t just draw up a game plan—she forged an identity blade sharp enough to carve up the nation’s hottest team. Expect every future opponent to face the same pressure-cooker defense and glass-eating mentality that turned Texas’ high-octane attack into leftover gumbo.
Stay locked on onlytrustedinfo.com for the fastest, most authoritative breakdowns as Kim Mulkey keeps stirring the Tigers’ championship pot.
