The LSU Tigers, now 21-1 and ranked 2nd in the SEC, have proven their resilience once again, bouncing back from a tough loss to South Carolina with a gritty 64-51 win over Texas A&M. Despite facing adversity both on and off the court — including the recent DJ controversy involving Flau’jae Johnson — Kim Mulkey’s squad continues to show the heart and determination needed to stay at the top of the conference.

In the post-practice media session, Mulkey shed light that she wasn’t aware of the situation in real time but was approached about it after practice. As someone who doesn’t actively follow social media, she admitted she required a full explanation to understand what had gone wrong.

Reflecting on the incident, Mulkey emphasized her unwavering support for Flau’jae Johnson, calling her “joyful” and “wonderful for LSU and our game.” She also praised Flau’jae’s parents, expressing deep admiration for the family. Mulkey added to her comments, reaffirming her love for the young LSU star and choosing to focus on her well-being rather than dwelling on South Carolina’s decisions.

Cory Diaz reported Kim Mulkey’s heartfelt response to the incident, quoting the LSU HC on her X, “All I care about is Flau’jae. All I care about is her family. What South Carolina does is South Carolina’s doings. I love that kid. I could not imagine her thoughts when it went down. She’s so wonderful for LSU and our game.”

The post-game celebration basically sparked backlash when a song by rapper Camouflage, Flau’jae Johnson’s late father, was played in the arena. Johnson, whose father was tragically killed in 2003, called out the moment as “nasty behavior” on social media, saying there was “nun funny bout that.” South Carolina later addressed the incident, apologizing and calling the DJ’s actions disrespectful to Johnson and LSU. Despite the tensions, the Tigers brought their focus back and leaned on their grit to notch a hard-fought win just two days later, showing resilience both on and off the court.

SC athletics apologized to LSU and women’s basketball player Johnson in response to the Gamecocks’ DJ playing the song by Johnson’s late father at the end of Friday’s game between the teams at Colonial Life Arena. “We are addressing Friday night’s inappropriate in-game song selection and subsequent social media post by the DJ who is hired to work our women’s basketball games,” the apology statement read.

The DJ initially downplayed the incident, replying to Johnson’s comment with “My bad” and a laughing emoji. However, she later issued an apology, stating, “It is never my intent to disrespect anyone or offend anyone when my job is to have fun and make sure other people have a good time. … I’ve been playing [the song] for years, even at other games, but I shouldn’t have played it at yesterday’s game.”

Kim Mulkey’s LSU women bounce back strong

The rivalry between the Tigers and Gamecocks has grown into one of the most intense showdowns in women’s college basketball, filled with drama both on and off the court. Earlier season, tensions flared during the SEC tournament when a heated exchange between LSU’s Flau’jae and South Carolina’s Kamilla Kordoso escalated. The incident took a dramatic turn when Johnson’s brother, Trayron Milton, ran onto the court during the altercation. Milton was arrested and charged with assault, battery, and disorderly conduct, with his trial still pending.

And continuing the rivalry, the LSU women’s basketball team bounced back from their loss to South Carolina with a gritty 64-51 win over Texas A&M on Sunday. Despite lingering shooting struggles — just 31.9% from the field — the Tigers relied on strong defensive play and offensive rebounding to grind out the victory.

Johnson led the game with 22 points, while Aneesah Morrow added 19 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing her 20th double-double of the season. LSU’s dominance on the glass (15 offensive rebounds) and a plus-nine turnover margin provided the cushion they needed, especially with Texas A&M shooting only 31%.

The game shifted when Texas A&M star Aicha Coulibaly had to exit with a leg injury late in the first half. LSU capitalized but faced its own challenges, with key players Morrow, Johnson, and Mikaylah Williams battling foul trouble. Freshman guard Jada Richard stepped up off the bench with seven points in 17 minutes.

With nine games left, they’ll need consistent performances to match last season’s post-South Carolina streak, starting Thursday against No. 15 Oklahoma.