LSU standout Flau’Jae Johnson’s mother, Kia Brooks, added her voice to the growing group of support for Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey after her animated outburst at referees during the Tigers’ 83-61 victory over Albany on Sunday. Mulkey’s sideline passion drew attention after a questionable foul call on Johnson in the second quarter.

The foul happened with LSU trailing by seven points, as Albany guard Kayla Cooper spun into a double team in the lane and attempted a layup. Johnson came off her defensive assignment in the corner and appeared to contest the shot cleanly in the post, jumping straight up without making significant contact.

The referees called a foul, prompting immediate disbelief from the commentary team, who said, “I can’t believe he called that.” The theory of “ball don’t lie” came into play when Cooper missed the first of her two free throws, though she made the second. Cameras captured the common interaction of Mulkey furiously arguing with the referees during the free throws in a moment that became a social media talking point quickly online.

After the game, Brooks took to social media to back Mulkey’s fiery response in support of her daughter. “Regardless of what others may say, one thing is undeniable about our kid’s coach,” Brooks wrote. “Her genuine love for basketball and her players. Kim’s passion for the game is unmatched and truly inspiring. I love it and this is how I want my kid’s coach going to war about mine. You can’t fake this. I’m riding with you, coach.”

Mulkey’s passionate defense of her players has become a trademark of her coaching style. It’s what forged strong relationships with players she’s coached in the past, including Chicago Sky star Angel Reese.

Despite the early struggles, LSU improved to 15-0 on the season with the win. Flau’Jae delivered a solid performance, finishing with 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and a steal, though foul trouble limited her aggressiveness at times.

Flau'Jae Johnson is called for a foul

Johnson’s foul call came in the second quarter ( 

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Johnson’s teammate Aneesah Morrow led all scorers with 20 points and credited the team’s physical defense as a key factor in the victory. “In the first half I got into foul trouble and I was not attacking the boards the way that I should have,” Morrow said after the game. “I also knew that in the fourth quarter foul trouble was not an issue, so I was able to go attack boards and be aggressive.”

Mulkey acknowledged the team’s slow start of scoring just 16 points in the first quarter and falling into an early nine-point deficit. “The longer we play together, the better we will get,” she said. “The better teams we play, the better we will get. And we will see better teams in the SEC.”

LSU will face tougher competition in the second half of the season, including two matchups against No. 15 Tennessee and games against No. 2 South Carolina, No. 5 Texas, and No. 9 Oklahoma. The team also has ranked matchups against Kentucky, Alabama, and Ole Miss to end the year.