NEW ORLEANS — LSU's women's basketball team's absence from the court during the national anthem in the Elite Eight game Monday night was a viral story and even had Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry weighing in, but, according to the school, it is nothing new.
The school issued a statement that said: Our basketball programs have not been on the court for the anthem for the last several seasons. Usually the anthem is played 12 minutes before the game when the team is in the locker room doing final preparations.
That was similar to what head coach Kim Mulkey said after the game. She said she wasn't certain when the anthem was played, but that her team always was in the locker room by the 12-minute until gametime mark, preparing for the game.
Governor Jeff Landry made a post on Twitter (X) saying that "My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation, no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey. However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag ! It is time that all college boards, including Regent, put a policy in place that student athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship! This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill."
There has been no immediate word on whether the governor or the state legislature was planning to pursue the issue further. The statement from LSU seemed to indicate that the men's team followed that process as well.