- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 405,625
- Reaction score
- 43
SPOKANE, Wash. — The players looked flustered. Stanford had come into the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and ambushed LSU women’s basketball on its own court.
Seimone Augustus looked up at the scoreboard. Stanford 76, LSU 70; 2:55 remaining. After the only lead the Tigers had, 3-0 a few seconds into the game, Stanford had complete control of the game the rest of the way.
LSU’s newest assistant coach knew she needed to say something during the timeout head coach Kim Mulkey called. It was a step outside of her normal self but with the team dazed and with a look of uncertainty, Augustus had to project.
“I jumped in the huddle and said, ‘Let’s go after them,” Augustus recalled telling the team. “’C’mon we get it three minutes left.’ They picked it back up. We ended up forcing overtime and we won the game.
“That was one of my highlights as a coach. I was able to help; I feel like willed them to a victory.”
SEIMONE AUGUSTUS VIRAL CLIPBOARD MOMENT LSU assistant coach Seimone Augustus on 'funny' clipboard moment with Kim Mulkey
KIM MULKEY ON SEIMONE AUGUSTUS HIRE How Kim Mulkey landed LSU legend Seimone Augustus on staff, why it's 'right time' for both
Her animated pep talk during that timeout against Stanford wasn’t what she had envisioned for herself doing with the team when Mulkey first reached out to her to possibly join the coaching staff.
Augustus, a multiple Hall of Famer member, WNBA champion and one of all-time LSU athletics greats, didn’t expect much. She had been contemplating becoming a coach for a number of years and Mulkey just encouraged her get her feet wet at her alma mater.
“I didn’t have any expectations coming in. The conversation me and Mulkey had prior to me coming in was more just that I wanted experience,” Augustus said. “You immerse yourself into what’s already existing. You try to add your tidbits here and there. But most I’ve been sitting back and been able to observe the way that she operates, the way that her staff operates, the way that the players interact and operate with each other but also the staff.
“It’s been an amazing experience and for a young coach trying to develop and try and figure out your philosophy, what you allow what you won’t allow, this has been a great experience for my growth.”
Mikaylah Williams, one of the more prolific scorers on this LSU team, just went 0 or 9 and ended a game with no points. LSU beat Washington on a Kailyn Gilbert buzzer beater down in The Bahamas as one of its top players struggled.
After the game, Williams sought out Augustus.
“I had to talk to her and she told me, ‘It happens. It’s basketball. Stay the course,’” Williams said. “We know what I can do, we know I work hard. Just not dwelling on it and playing the next day and ending up doing what I did the next day.
“Her pouring that confidence into me really helped me.”
Since then, Augustus said she hasn’t had to talk with Williams much and the sophomore sensation has been on a tear. She scored 24 points against North Carolina State the next game and hasn’t scored fewer than 8 points in any game since.
“I think her approach is she’s going to do a lot of things one-on-one with the players,” Mulkey said of Augustus. “She’s doesn’t project loud, but I can tell you she has been really loud in things that she has said to them whether it’s in a timeout or whether it is in the locker room or film room.”
Augustus speaks softly; always has. She’s not demonstrative when she’s coaching up the players but when she does speak, she has everyone’s attention.
“She knows the game,” LSU star senior forward Aneesah Morrow said. “She’s been in those moments. When it comes down to school, to those tough moments, getting into late in the season and how tough it might be, she knows it. She sits down and talks to us.
“All eyes are on her when she speaks because she is a legend. She’s helped us a lot.”
One of LSU’s pregame hype videos opens with a clip from Augustus’ Naismith Hall of Fame induction speech in October. She sung an ad-libbed version of Garth Brooks’ “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” a song synonymous with LSU athletic events.
Augustus didn’t know that was going to be included but the local flair she had in her speech, it means a lot to her. Her voice is there before every game.
To the players, that’s how it has been since she joined Mulkey’s staff.
“She's like really consistent as a person,” LSU star Flau’jae Johnson said. “She don't have days where she's here and there. She's always right here, and that's where I'm trying to get.”
It’s those moments and in those aspects where Augustus’ imprint is felt on this year’s LSU team.
As the Tigers take on NC State in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in Spokane, Washington, on Friday night, Augustus won’t be the loudest coach. She won’t handle any Xs or Os. But she’s played in the biggest games and seen everything there is to see on and off the court.
That’s where “Coach Money” is most valuable.
“As far as willing them, helping them, keeping them focused on what the goal is, which is this time a year a (national championship),” Augustus said, “I’m going to be in their corner and in their ear every step of the way.”
LSU-NC STATE START TIME LSU, Kim Mulkey vs NC State game time set for Sweet 16 matchup in Spokane
ANEESAH MORROW-SA'MYAH SMITH CONNECTION Aneesah Morrow-Sa'Myah Smith connection shines in LSU's March Madness win vs Florida State
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 [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: How Seimone Augustus has impacted LSU women as Kim Mulkey's assistant
Continue reading...
Seimone Augustus looked up at the scoreboard. Stanford 76, LSU 70; 2:55 remaining. After the only lead the Tigers had, 3-0 a few seconds into the game, Stanford had complete control of the game the rest of the way.
LSU’s newest assistant coach knew she needed to say something during the timeout head coach Kim Mulkey called. It was a step outside of her normal self but with the team dazed and with a look of uncertainty, Augustus had to project.
“I jumped in the huddle and said, ‘Let’s go after them,” Augustus recalled telling the team. “’C’mon we get it three minutes left.’ They picked it back up. We ended up forcing overtime and we won the game.
“That was one of my highlights as a coach. I was able to help; I feel like willed them to a victory.”
SEIMONE AUGUSTUS VIRAL CLIPBOARD MOMENT LSU assistant coach Seimone Augustus on 'funny' clipboard moment with Kim Mulkey
KIM MULKEY ON SEIMONE AUGUSTUS HIRE How Kim Mulkey landed LSU legend Seimone Augustus on staff, why it's 'right time' for both
What Seimone Augustus expected joining Kim Mulkey's LSU staff
Her animated pep talk during that timeout against Stanford wasn’t what she had envisioned for herself doing with the team when Mulkey first reached out to her to possibly join the coaching staff.
Augustus, a multiple Hall of Famer member, WNBA champion and one of all-time LSU athletics greats, didn’t expect much. She had been contemplating becoming a coach for a number of years and Mulkey just encouraged her get her feet wet at her alma mater.
“I didn’t have any expectations coming in. The conversation me and Mulkey had prior to me coming in was more just that I wanted experience,” Augustus said. “You immerse yourself into what’s already existing. You try to add your tidbits here and there. But most I’ve been sitting back and been able to observe the way that she operates, the way that her staff operates, the way that the players interact and operate with each other but also the staff.
“It’s been an amazing experience and for a young coach trying to develop and try and figure out your philosophy, what you allow what you won’t allow, this has been a great experience for my growth.”
Coach Money
Mikaylah Williams, one of the more prolific scorers on this LSU team, just went 0 or 9 and ended a game with no points. LSU beat Washington on a Kailyn Gilbert buzzer beater down in The Bahamas as one of its top players struggled.
After the game, Williams sought out Augustus.
“I had to talk to her and she told me, ‘It happens. It’s basketball. Stay the course,’” Williams said. “We know what I can do, we know I work hard. Just not dwelling on it and playing the next day and ending up doing what I did the next day.
“Her pouring that confidence into me really helped me.”
Since then, Augustus said she hasn’t had to talk with Williams much and the sophomore sensation has been on a tear. She scored 24 points against North Carolina State the next game and hasn’t scored fewer than 8 points in any game since.
“I think her approach is she’s going to do a lot of things one-on-one with the players,” Mulkey said of Augustus. “She’s doesn’t project loud, but I can tell you she has been really loud in things that she has said to them whether it’s in a timeout or whether it is in the locker room or film room.”
Augustus speaks softly; always has. She’s not demonstrative when she’s coaching up the players but when she does speak, she has everyone’s attention.
“She knows the game,” LSU star senior forward Aneesah Morrow said. “She’s been in those moments. When it comes down to school, to those tough moments, getting into late in the season and how tough it might be, she knows it. She sits down and talks to us.
“All eyes are on her when she speaks because she is a legend. She’s helped us a lot.”
Why LSU women's basketball is better with coach Seimone Augustus
One of LSU’s pregame hype videos opens with a clip from Augustus’ Naismith Hall of Fame induction speech in October. She sung an ad-libbed version of Garth Brooks’ “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” a song synonymous with LSU athletic events.
Augustus didn’t know that was going to be included but the local flair she had in her speech, it means a lot to her. Her voice is there before every game.
To the players, that’s how it has been since she joined Mulkey’s staff.
“She's like really consistent as a person,” LSU star Flau’jae Johnson said. “She don't have days where she's here and there. She's always right here, and that's where I'm trying to get.”
It’s those moments and in those aspects where Augustus’ imprint is felt on this year’s LSU team.
As the Tigers take on NC State in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in Spokane, Washington, on Friday night, Augustus won’t be the loudest coach. She won’t handle any Xs or Os. But she’s played in the biggest games and seen everything there is to see on and off the court.
That’s where “Coach Money” is most valuable.
“As far as willing them, helping them, keeping them focused on what the goal is, which is this time a year a (national championship),” Augustus said, “I’m going to be in their corner and in their ear every step of the way.”
LSU-NC STATE START TIME LSU, Kim Mulkey vs NC State game time set for Sweet 16 matchup in Spokane
ANEESAH MORROW-SA'MYAH SMITH CONNECTION Aneesah Morrow-Sa'Myah Smith connection shines in LSU's March Madness win vs Florida State
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 [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: How Seimone Augustus has impacted LSU women as Kim Mulkey's assistant
Continue reading...
