There’s nothing like a neighborhood rivalry to bring out the best snark, as proven Sunday after Will Wade’s McNeese basketball team sent UL-Lafayette back east on I-10 with a last-minute 74-72 loss.
If you don’t know about the disdain between the Cowboys and Ragin’ Cajuns, then maybe you do know how ULM and Northwestern State supporters feel about Louisiana Tech, and how Tech fans used to hate those schools. Or perhaps your point of reference is Grambling and Southern … LSU and Alabama … LSUS and LSUA … the old LSU-Tulane dynamic … Texas and Texas A&M.
In Sunday’s rivalry battle, which brought a sellout crowd of 4,300 to McNeese’s Legacy Center, the Cowboys won after three technical fouls, three ejections and overcoming a 13-point deficit in the final 10 minutes. Add in Wade, the former LSU coach in his first season in Lake Charles – after infamously insulting Ragin’ Cajun fans and their program before, during and after a 2018 NIT game when Wade was in Tiger Town.
It was saucy for weeks in the buildup. Naturally, the McNeese camp took delight in referring to the visitors as ULL, and not their preferred, unofficial “UL” abbreviation. The Cajun contingent popped right back with disparaging comments or simply “it’s Louisiana.” Which it’s not, but why should facts interfere?
Sunday’s outcome led to a delightful post on the official McNeese men’s basketball “X” account, above a graphic showing the final score:
“Here’s that extra ‘L’ y’all keep forgetting to add.”
The official Southland Conference account retweeted (“re-Xed?”) that. In reply, @GeauxCajuns replied, “Signature win for the conference, I guess?”
Snapped back @SouthlandSports: “Nah, we beat your big brother too” alongside a screenshot of the 68-66 final score from early November when Nicholls went to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, built a 20-plus point lead and weathered a rally by hitting a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 68-66 stunner over LSU.
Who says there’s just trash on social media?
Meanwhile, in the late stages of a routine smackdown Sunday, Barbie Knight stirred the pot at the PMAC.
LSU women’s coach Kim Mulkey, never one to not coach 40 minutes regardless of the score, didn’t. She got asked to leave early.
Colorfully attired as ever, with her No. 7 Tigers owning a commanding 71-30 lead on overmatched Northwestern State, Mulkey went wild after LSU’s Aneesah Morrow was called for charging midway through the fourth quarter. Surging onto the court, waving and screaming, Mulkey drew a technical foul from referee Timothy Greene, then a few seconds later was hit with a second one and was ejected.
All she needed was a good chair toss, in the style of the legendary Indiana men’s coach Bob Knight, to make the SportsCenter Top 10.
Mulkey’s fiery courtside conduct has been a trait through the years. This was her first ejection in three seasons at LSU.
“I’ve been tossed before,” she told the media afterward, smiling. “It was time.”
Lots of opponents in the past couple of seasons would agree. Mulkey has received surprising latitude from game officials when she’s been extremely agitated and demonstrative since arriving at LSU. The difference this time: a new point of emphasis in women’s basketball officiating at keeping coaches inside their “coaching box” on the sideline, instead of being able to roam and rant on the floor while the ball is in play.
The argument can be made that she’s the best major college basketball coach ever, men or women. Nobody has collected 700 career wins faster.
Nobody has dodged technicals any better, either.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com