The SEC Tournament final concluded in chaos as a fight broke out between the LSU Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter.
With 2:08 left in the game, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson elbowed Ashtyn Watkins after an intentional foul. South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso charged into her and sent her falling to the floor.
After the game, LSU’s Kim Mulkey was asked about the skirmish, offering a rather bold response.
“No one wants to be a part of that. No one wants to see that ugliness,” said Mulkey.
“But I can tell you this; I wish she would’ve pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a kid—you’re 6’8”—don’t push somebody that little. That was uncalled for in my opinion.”
https://t.co/DamezsUqFA pic.twitter.com/zkCauTdduQ
— Pat Timlin (@pat_timlin) March 10, 2024
Her comments carried a different tone than that of South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, who spoke on the incident during an on-court interview after the Gamecocks’ win, which marked their eighth SEC tournament victory and capped off a perfect 32–0 season.
“In our league, things get heated. No bad intentions. Their emotions got so far ahead of them, that sometimes these things happen. I want to apologize for us playing a part in that. That’s not who we are and that’s not what we’re about,” said Staley.
As a result of the fracas on Sunday afternoon, the five players from each team that were on the court at the time of the skirmish were the only ones available to finish up the game, as both benches were ejected. Additionally, Cardoso will be suspended for the Gamecocks’ first game of the NCAA tournament.
