Kim Mulkey v Geno Auriemma. LSU to face UConn in Nashville this season

BATON ROUGE – LSU women’s basketball and Kim Mulkey finally have their marquee nonconference matchup on the books this season.

The Tigers will lock horns with perennial national power UConn in a nonconference contest Dec. 20 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Game time and network for the game will be determined at a later date.

The game will be part of the inaugural espnW Invitational, a two-game showcase that will also feature a game between Kentucky and Virginia. Sources at ESPN previously told The Daily Advertiser that the network was working on possibly surrounding the LSU-UConn game with at least one more game, one of the reasons behind why it took a while for an official announcement.

LSU WBB SCHEDULING NEWS LSU women’s basketball learns 2026-27 SEC home and away schedule

Former Husky great Rebecca Lobo spilled the beans on a possible game between LSU and UConn on a podcast months ago but at the time, the game contract was not finalized, sources said.

Mulkey and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma are women’s basketball’s national championship winningest coaches at four and 12, respectively. Mulkey led LSU to its first ever title back in 2023 and the Huskies won the national championship two seasons ago.

1 / 29

LSU women’s basketball vs Duke in NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 | Photos

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Head coach Kim Mulkey of the Louisiana State Tigers speaks with head coach Kara Lawson of the Duke Blue Devils prior to the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

(Harry How, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Head coach Kim Mulkey of the LSU Tigers looks on prior to the game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

(Harry How, Getty Images)

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Louisiana State Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey against the Duke Blue Devils at the Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 2 of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

(Ed Szczepanski, Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Ashlon Jackson (3) shoots against the Louisiana State Tigers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 2 of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

(Ed Szczepanski, Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Riley Nelson (4) dribbles against the Louisiana State Tigers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 2 of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

(Ed Szczepanski, Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Toby Fournier (35) rebounds against the Louisiana State Tigers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 2 of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

(Ed Szczepanski, Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Louisiana State Tigers guard Flau’jae Johnson (4) walks up the court against the Duke Blue Devils during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 2 of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

(Ed Szczepanski, Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Riley Nelson (4) drives against the Louisiana State Tigers during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 2 of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

(Ed Szczepanski, Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)

Mar 27, 2026; Sacramento, CA, USA; Louisiana State Tigers guard Flau’jae Johnson (4) rebounds against the Duke Blue Devils during a Sweet Sixteen game of the Sacramento Regional 2 of the women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

(Ed Szczepanski, Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Milaysia Fulwiley #23 of the Louisiana State Tigers drives to the basket against the Duke Blue Devils during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Milaysia Fulwiley #23 of the Louisiana State Tigers shoots a free throw against the Duke Blue Devils during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Taina Mair #22 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on against the Louisiana State Tigers during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Toby Fournier #35 of the Duke Blue Devils makes a move on Flau’jae Johnson #4 and Grace Knox #2 of the Louisiana State Tigers during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

(Harry How, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Flau’jae Johnson #4 of the Louisiana State Tigers looks on against the Duke Blue Devils during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

(Harry How, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Zakiyah Johnson #11 of the Louisiana State Tigers takes a shot against Arianna Roberson #21 of the Duke Blue Devils during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Taina Mair #22 of the Duke Blue Devils takes a shot over Flau’jae Johnson #4 of the Louisiana State Tigers during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

(Harry How, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Head coach Kara Lawson of the Duke Blue Devils reacts against the Louisiana State Tigers during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Flau’jae Johnson #4 of the Louisiana State Tigers takes a shot over Ashlon Jackson #3 of the Duke Blue Devils during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Taina Mair #22 of the Duke Blue Devils brings the ball up the court against Flau’jae Johnson #4 and Milaysia Fulwiley #23 of the Louisiana State Tigers during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

(Harry How, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Zakiyah Johnson #11 of the Louisiana State Tigers makes a move on Arianna Roberson #21 of the Duke Blue Devils during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Arianna Roberson #21 of the Duke Blue Devils and Kate Koval #13 of the Louisiana State Tigers battle for a rebound during the first quarter in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Golden 1 Center on March 27, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

Auriemma holds a 5-4 edge against Mulkey is head-to-head matchups during their careers.

Adding UConn to its nonconference schedule easily makes this upcoming season’s nonconference slate the toughest in Mulkey’s six years in Baton Rouge. LSU already has games lined up with North Carolina State, North Carolina and Villanova.

In SEC play, LSU will play Dawn Staley and South Carolina on the road as well as Tennessee. The Tigers will host Oklahoma, Texas and Vanderbilt at home this season.

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Kim Mulkey v Geno Auriemma. LSU to face UConn in Nashville this season

Source link

Spread the love