LSU home games are going to be a special environment this season.

The Tigers have officially sold out their season tickets for the 2023-24 campaign, and to celebrate, coach Kim Mulkey brought a cookie cake to the team’s ticket department that read “SOLD OUT.”

LSU plays its home games at the 13,215-seat Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge. After winning the NCAA championship in April, and returning star forward Angel Reese, the Tigers have become a popular ticket.

The successful sales come despite the LSU Board of Supervisors approving a price hike for the season, with ticket prices increased between $25 to $75, depending on the level. The athletic department told the board it anticipates the increased revenue will total around $320,000.

A lot of money is floating around the program. After the championship, LSU signed Mulkey to a 10-year, $32 million contract extension, making her the highest-paid women’s college basketball coach ever. And Reese has a NIL valuation of $1.7 million, according to On3, the second highest among women athletes and seventh most in all.

The Tigers open the season Nov. 6 against Colorado in Las Vegas as part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame series. They then host Queens on Nov. 9 in their first home game of the season.

Aneesah Morrow seems to be fitting right in at LSU. And a big part of that is Tigers coach Kim Mulkey.

Morrow, who transferred to the Tigers from DePaul, lavished praise on her new coach while addressing the media this week.

“You have to have tough skin as a player, and Mulkey is going to keep it real with you,” Morrow said. “She’s not going to sugarcoat it, she’s going to tell you what it is. She just, honestly, wants you to come in here every day and give 100 percent.

“Everybody needs a Kim Mulkey in their lives.”

Morrow comes to LSU after two terrific seasons at DePaul. Last season she averaged 25.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, after averaging 21.9 points and 13.8 rebounds per game as a freshman in 2021-22.

She’ll team up with LSU star Angel Reese as the Tigers look to defend their 2023 NCAA National Championship. The Tigers open the season Nov. 6 against Colorado in Las Vegas as part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Series.

“I’m super excited to join. I just know how hard I work. Every day, my stats showed that I was very consistent every game, I was a double-double last year at DePaul and the year before would be a national freshman of the year,” Morrow said on Haley Jones’ “Sometimes I Hoop” podcast in August. “So I try to stay as consistent as I possibly can. But I also want to be challenged by my teammates and my coaching staff. I want them to have my back and I felt like LSU was the best fit for that.”

When Kim Mulkey left Baylor for LSU, she kept the reason for the move to herself. And it will remain under wraps, at least for now.

“Why did I leave Baylor? Someday I’ll tell the real reason why I left Baylor, but it serves no purpose now,” she said during a recent interview on “The Trey Gowdy Podcast.”

The legendary basketball coach won three national titles in 21 seasons with the Bears, but she departed for LSU ahead of the 2021-22 season. She won the fourth NCAA tournament championship of her career in her second season with the Tigers.

Mulkey, 61, grew up in Tickfaw, Louisiana, and played college basketball at Louisiana Tech, so coaching for LSU has served as a homecoming. While she alluded to deeper reasons for the change, she declined to delve into them. But she did make one thing clear: Her move was not based on money.

“My former players at Baylor, the majority of them were at that national championship game this past year in the locker room with us,” she said. “They know Coach Mulkey usually makes a decision based upon something where she puts a lot of thought into it.

“But I can tell you what it was not: It was not more money. I did not come to LSU because they gave me more money than Baylor. Baylor took care of me financially. It was just a feeling in my gut that said, you need to go help your state. And I came back to LSU and, goodness gracious, what we have done in two years is nuts.”

When asked about whether she would be honored with a statue on the Baylor campus, an honor she recently received from her alma mater, she again referenced a distance from her former program, though she also expressed a desire for its success.

“You know good and well there’s nothing on that campus, and I don’t ever expect there to be anything,” she said of Baylor. “I want that program to continue to do good things. I want it to represent all the previous players that I got to coach there and continue to do good things. … Every place I’ve been, I’ve loved.”

And, after signing a new 10-year, $32 million deal with LSU, she is loving life with the Tigers, with no thought toward retirement.

“When I’m not putting a product on that floor that’s competitive, or I’m not able to give what I know needs to given, that’s when you retire,” she said. “And right now, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”

In the aftermath of LSU basketball’s title-clinching win over Iowa in the 2023 NCAA championship game, Angel Reese achieved celebrity status.

So entering the 2023-24 season, Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey asked: Would her star player come into the new year with the same drive to win?

“Your concern is: Is Angel Reese hungry?” Mulkey said. “She’s making money like crazy. Is she gonna be hungry for another ring? You get a feel for that in your first individual meetings.”

Her first meeting with Reese put to rest any concerns.

“When I sat down with Angel and talked with her about her summer, and then we talked about her being here, she said, ‘Coach, I’m tired. I’m so glad to be back. I’m ready to play basketball,'” Mulkey said Monday after LSU’s first official practice of the season.

Reese did have a busy offseason, which included winning the ESPY award for Best Breakthrough Athlete, modeling for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, launching her own nonprofit foundation and more. She also grew her personal brand, with her NIL valuation reaching $1.7 million, according to On3.

Still, Mulkey knows Reese is ready for her senior season, with her eyes set on another national championship — and the 2024 WNBA Draft.

“I was looking to hear that and I didn’t have to pull it out of her,” Mulkey said. “She understands that she had the most unbelievable year of her college career and it was fun. You’re not entitled to that again. She’s working. She’s done her obligations.”

The LSU head coach enters the new season after a health scare. Mulkey, 61, underwent a potentially life-saving heart procedure in June to unclog one of her coronary arteries, which was almost completely blocked. But she too is ready to dive into the title defense with Reese, star transfers Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow and the rest of the Tigers.

The defending champions open their season against Colorado on Nov. 6 in Las Vegas as part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Series. The game will provide an early test, as the Buffaloes ranked in the top 25 at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Angel Reese is eying the 2024 WNBA Draft. But the LSU basketball star is not happy with ESPN’s latest mock draft, which projects her as the No. 8 overall pick.

“That was an insult to her,” LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said. “We talked about the thing she needs to work on. Whether she gets picked higher than that or not, it still motivates her. She gets motivated in practice with someone going head-to-head with her or talking trash back at her. She’s a competitor.”

Reese and the Tigers are embarking on an NCAA title defense this season after winning the program’s first national championship in April. In the aftermath of the win, Reese’s national profile skyrocketed, on and off the court.

During the 2022-23 season, her first with LSU after transferring from Maryland, she finished with a single-season record 34 double-doubles. She averaged 23.0 points and 15.4 rebounds for the season.

While Reese, 21, has one year of eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she is looking forward to taking her career to the next level, she said in a conversation with WNBA legend Lisa Leslie. Leslie spoke with Reese for Glamour magazine, which named Reese one of their 2023 College Women of the Year.

“This is my senior year, and I have the opportunity to declare for the WNBA this year if I choose to,” Reese told Leslie.

Yet while she has her eyes on the ultimate NCAA prize (another national championship), she also is keeping her individual goals in mind.

“Personally, I aspire to make it to the WNBA,” Reese said. “While I do have the option for another year, I do want to get out of college, start life outside of school, and pursue my WNBA dreams. It’s been a challenging but rewarding four years, and I’m excited to continue improving at LSU and beyond.”

LSU basketball head coach Kim Mulkey underwent a potentially life-saving heart procedure in June.

Mulkey, 61, discovered the health issue by chance, she shared with ESPN ahead of the defending champion Tigers’ first practice of the 2023-24 season.

The tip of one of her fingers felt numb, prompting her to see a doctor. That first appointment eventually led to a surprising — and serious — diagnosis: One of Mulkey’s coronary arteries was almost completely blocked.

“I never even felt bad,” Mulkey said. “I’m still kind of in shock that we accidentally found this. So my message in sharing this is, if you’re over 50, go get a stress test.”

On June 28, she had two stents put in her artery to address the issue, and she is also on medication.

“I said, ‘Doc, why didn’t I feel bad in any way?’ He said, ‘You’re what’s called an asymptomatic patient. You’re the ones that can die suddenly and drive cardiologists crazy,'” Mulkey said. “I asked if I was likely to have had a heart attack without the procedure, and he said, ‘Yes, eventually’

“I said, ‘Will I feel any different now?’ and he said, ‘No, because you didn’t have symptoms.’ And I feel fine, just like I did before. But it’s really encouraged me to tell people that if you can, get your heart checked.”

The Tigers open their title defense against Colorado on Nov. 6, following two preseason exhibition games on Oct. 26 and Nov. 1. Expect Mulkey to be her usual animated self.

“The doctor smiled and said, ‘You get a little animated on the sideline. That’s our goal — for you to be you,'” she told the Times-Picayune in July. “It’s not going to slow me down.”

Kim Mulkey has been forever enshrined in Louisiana Tech history, with the LSU women’s basketball head coach receiving her own statue at her alma mater on Wednesday night.

Mulkey starred as a player for the Lady Techsters from 1980-84, helping the team to an NCAA championship in 1982. Following her playing career, Mulkey served an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech for 15 seasons, including the 1988 NCAA championship season led by WNBA star Teresa Weatherspoon.

Since leaving the university, Mulkey has won three national championships as a head coach at Baylor and now LSU. The Hall of Famer led the Tigers to their first NCAA championship earlier this year in just her second season at the helm.

“Incredible night with even better people, reminiscing on memories that will last a lifetime,” Mulkey wrote on social media after the unveiling of her statue, which features her playing basketball.

She also congratulated the other honorees — Weatherspoon, Karl Malone, Terry Bradshaw, Willie Roaf and the late Fred Dean. The statues are on display outside of Joe Aillet Stadium, the home of the Louisiana Tech football team.

Under the 61-year-old Mulkey, LSU is considered a favorite to repeat as NCAA champions in 2023-24 after returning Final Four Most Outstanding Player Angel Reese and adding star transfers Hailey Van Lith (Louisville) and Aneesah Morrow (DePaul).

Flau’jae Johnson dropped a new video Thursday for her song about her national title-winning freshman season at LSU.

The track, called “RedBull 60 Seconds,” is available on her mixtape titled “4 My Fans.” Johnson’s newest album leads with the LSU-inspired song, which originated as a freestyle she originally released as part of a challenge in May.

“They be talking down but I’ll never let it get to me,” she raps. “Came to LSU my freshman year and we made history.”

The new video to go along with the song features Johnson in full LSU gear alongside teammate Angel Reese, and she references head coach Kim Mulkey and her famous fashion sense.

“Put the pennant on the trophy, you ain’t winnin’ don’t approach me,” she raps. “Pull up courtside in a crazy fit, I look like Mulkey.”

The 13-song mixtape was released in July and is presented by Flauge Entertainment in partnership with Roc Nation’s Equity. The songs have been recorded over the last four years, featuring a dynamic range of music styles and storytelling.

“I love making records. Like, I can spit and enjoy freestyling, but I love making songs because I can show my versatility,” Flau’jae told Revolt in August. “I cannot wait for the fans to start hearing my new music.”

She’s been balancing her music career with basketball, as the NCAA season is set to begin with an exhibition on Oct. 26. The team’s first practice on Sept. 25 is set to be open to the public. And as Johnson juggles her talents, she’s excited to see where the journey takes her.

“I still feel like I haven’t scratched the surface of my capabilities,” she said. “I still don’t feel like I accomplished anything just yet. I am just trying to get better, mentally and physically. I just want to be the best version of myself.

“I have been doing this my whole life. Traits like discipline and consistency are something I have been trying to keep going. That is what helps me stay balanced.”

Kim Mulkey is set to stay put in Baton Rouge, with multiple reports saying she has agreed to a new 10-year contract with LSU.

The $32 million deal will make her the highest-paid women’s college basketball coach in history. Earlier this year, Mulkey led the Tigers to their first-ever national championship in just her second season with the program.

The Advocate first reported on Mulkey’s contract, having obtained the information through a public records request. The deal is pending final approval from the LSU Board of Supervisors, which will meet on Friday.

Mulkey’s previous contract would have paid her $2.5 million annually through 2029. Her new deal will begin at $2.75 million per year, then will increase over time up to $3.65 million in 2033. No women’s college basketball coach has signed a larger contract, either in total amount or annual value.

In 2021, South Carolina’s Dawn Staley signed a seven-year deal worth $22.4 million, and she made an estimated $3 million last season. UConn’s Geno Auriemma signed a similar deal in 2021, and he will make roughly $3.2 million per year by the end of the 2024-25 season.

At LSU, Mulkey now trails just Brian Kelly, the school’s football coach, in terms of coaching pay. Men’s basketball coach Matt McMahon makes $2.9 million annually, having signed a contract in 2022.

The 61-year-old head coach also could receive performance bonuses. If she guides the Tigers to another national title, she will earn an extra $230,000. And if the team’s Academic Performance Rate exceeds a certain threshold, she’ll take home $50,000 – the same amount she’ll collect if the team reaches the Elite Eight.

Before joining LSU in 2021, Mulkey spent 21 seasons at Baylor, where she led the Bears to three national titles.

LSU basketball returned to the court for its opening practice Tuesday as the Tigers look to defend their 2023 national championship.

Head coach Kim Mulkey led the program to its first-ever NCAA tournament title in just her second season at the helm. She did so with help from star transfer Angel Reese, and she picked up several more star transfers this offseason in Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow.

The team posted a video of the first practice on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, which included Mulkey getting right down to business for the 2023-24 season.

“We’re not waiting to get down there. If they’re ahead of the pack, lead them like a receiver in football,” she told her players, gesturing as if she was sending a pass up the court.

Last season, Mulkey received some criticism last season for LSU’s week out-of-conference schedule, but the Tigers proved the doubters wrong as they roared to the title. Reese defended the “cupcake” schedule after the team released its out-of-conference schedule for the upcoming season, though this year’s slate includes top 25 finishers in Virginia Tech and Colorado.

Reese received some joking criticism herself from assistant coach Gary Redus after the first practice. Redus ragged on the junior forward for not acknowledging his win against her in a 1-on-1 contest.

“Aye @Reese10Angel so no post about that L today????? And you was calling fouls. BUM!” he wrote on X. He also posted a photo of himself going up for a layup against Reese. She responded with a teasing jab of her own, as the team approaches its title defense with ample good humor.