LSU Women's Basketball's Kim Mulkey Shuts Down Retirement Rumors After Duke Loss

Mulkey and Co. suffered a devastating Sweet 16 loss to the Blue Devils at the buzzer, updates what's next in her career.

Tigers Head Coach Kim Mulkey, #2 ranked LSU Tigers Women’s Basketball take on #15 Jacksonville Dolphins in the 2026 NCAA Div I Women’s Basketball Championship at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, LA. Friday, March 20, 2026. | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers are out of the NCAA Tournament after the program dropped an NCAA Tournament clash to the Duke Blue Devils on Friday night in an 87-85 Sweet 16 loss to Sacramento.

In what became a devastating loss for Mulkey and the LSU Tigers, the program fell at the buzzer in a thriller with the Blue Devils advancing to the Elite Eight with a thrilling win at the Golden 1 Center.

MiLaysia Fulwiley earned her career high and led the Tigers in scoring with 28 points to go with four assists and two threes, but it wasn't enough on Friday night in Sacramento.

Miklaylah Williams scored 22 points and five rebounds while senior guard Flau’Jae Johnson also scored double figures with 13, but the LSU Tigers' efforts weren't enough down the stretch with the Duke Blue Devils countering every punch the LSU program threw.

From there, the Duke program earned the win, but that wasn't the talk of social media following the NCAA Tournament clash.

Courtesy of LSU Tigers Women's Basketball.

During the Sweet 16 matchup, the rumor mill began swirling on social media surround Mulkey's future with the LSU Tigers. Would she retire? What would be next for the Louisiana native?

Mulkey cleared the air following the NCAA Tournament loss to the Duke Blue Devils.

Mulkey's Take: No Retirement From the Hall of Famer

"I'm not retiring. Do I look that bad? I don't know where that came from. I'm only 63 and I'm healthy - I have a few stints in my heart and my doctor says I'm good to go," Mulkey said on Friday night.

"I have no clue where that stuff comes from. I have never, ever told anybody that. There are moments where you think, 'Why am I doing this?' but I don't get how people can write crap like that on social media...

"I'm not retiring. I plan to hire two coaches quickly. I plan to get in the portal and get two or three more players... There is no retiring. I'm going to be in this game until LSU fires me - until I can't put a product on that floor that's competitive or my health fails me."

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