On Monday night, the Louisiana State University women’s basketball team defeated Tulane University in a 101-71 victory. They controlled the pace of the game the entire time and essentially put the game away in the first quarter, which finished at a score of 33-10 in favor of the Tigers.

This game was highly anticipated. Unsurprisingly, Devlin Fieldhouse was packed with both LSU and Tulane fans. It was loud, easily the loudest basketball game I have ever attended at Tulane. 

There were simultaneous bickering chants of “LSU” and “Roll Wave” all throughout the contest. The fact that Tulane maintained a huge crowd through all four quarters in a blowout loss was impressive.

But there is a level of respect that comes with being a fan, especially toward players. Fans talk plenty of trash about opponents and sometimes, even directly to them. Future WNBA first-round pick Flau’jae Johnson had a remarkable first quarter for the Tigers, and after almost every basket, she talked back to the Tulane student section. It was not out of the ordinary for an in-state “rivalry” matchup, and it was incredibly entertaining.

However, things took a turn for the worse when Johnson injured her lower leg early in the third quarter. She later came back in the game, but it’s always scary to see a player go down. No matter who someone is rooting for, fans should never be happy when someone gets hurt. 

When Johnson got up, I noticed that a decent portion of the student section didn’t even clap. Even one celebratory reaction within the arena was audible. To be honest, it wasn’t a good look for Tulane. 

At the end of the game, while up 29 points, LSU had the ball with no shot clock, meaning they could dribble the ball out and end the game. Most teams do this when up big. However, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey looked at star Mikaylah Williams and told her to run a play. Oftentimes, this is seen as disrespectful.

After the game, I asked Mulkey why she made the call to try to score. 

“I have a reason why I did it, and I don’t want to tell you, because normally, I hold the ball,” she said. “But, Mikaylah needed to try to score another bucket, she didn’t get enough attempts tonight.” She finished her thought with a wink.

LSU didn’t need that final shot attempt, and the game was never in question. But Mulkey’s decision to get a bucket fit the tone for a game that was buzzing, emotional and louder than any Tulane game this season.

The wink made it clear that there was more to her decision than what she was willing to share publicly, and whether it was the competitiveness, the crowd or something else entirely, she intentionally left her reasoning unsaid.

What was evident, though, was that the environment mattered. LSU dominated the game, but the noise and intensity within the arena shaped the night from the tip-off to the final buzzer, including the last possession. 

If Tulane wants atmospheres like this to become the norm, the passion is welcome. The disrespect isn’t.