Criticism was directed towards the LSU Tigers, under the leadership of Coach Kim Mulkey, for not being present on the court during the national anthem before their Elite Eight match against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Monday night.

The Tigers’ absence during the anthem sparked discussions on social media, with fans voicing their disapproval. After LSU’s defeat to Iowa, which secured Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes a spot in the Final Four, Mulkey was questioned about her team’s absence during the postgame press conference.

Mulkey clarified that the absence was unintentional and attributed it to their team’s established routine.

“Honestly I don’t even know when the anthem was played,” said Mulkey. “We have a routine where the team comes off the court at the 12-minute mark and we do our pre-game stuff.”