Baylor women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey will lose one game on the bench next season after the NCAA ruled her comments about the officiating in a Sweet 16 loss to Louisville this past season were out of bounds.
Mulkey's No. 1-ranked and heavily favored Bears were upset 82-81 by Louisville, leaving the
coach fuming after the game, according to USA Today.
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"I'll be glad to answer any referee question you want to ask me, because I don't mind getting fined, so ask me. Now is the time to ask me, OK?" USA Today said Mulkey responded in her postgame news conference after already giving referees an earful after a pivotal call near the end of the game.
"I thought the game started out way too physical, way too physical. I thought that all three of them (referees), if they go past this round of officiating, it will be sad for the game," she said along with other negative comments about the officiating, according to USA Today.
The NCAA responded to Mulkey's criticism yesterday with the suspension, saying that her actions were detrimental to the game.
"The committee unanimously felt that the behavior of coach Mulkey was unacceptable and has no place in the women's basketball championship," committee Chair Carolayne Henry said in an NCAA release on Tuesday, according to USA Today.
The Waco Tribune reported that Mulkey's previous criticism of the NCAA selection committee after an Elite Eight loss to Texas A&M in 2011played a role in Mulkey's suspension. In that incident, the coach complained that Baylor and A&M, which were both members of the Big 12 at the time, should not have played in the same region, stated the Tribune.
Texas A&M went on to win the national championship after beating Baylor that year.
Mulkey found herself on the hot seat in May when
ESPN The Magazine and ESPNw reported that she discouraged star player Brittney Griner from talking about her sexuality because the coach believed it would harm recruiting.
"The coaches thought that if it seemed like they condoned it, people wouldn't let their kids come play for Baylor," ESPN quoted Griner, who is gay, as saying. "It was more of an unwritten law (to not discuss your sexuality) ... it was just kind of, like, one of those things, you know, just don't do it."
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