Kim Mulkey: "Just last week we were told that you're going to have play a game regardless if you have 6 players."

POSTED: November 16, 2020 -- 2:44 p.m. CT

During this afternoon's media availability session, Kim Mulkey, Head Coach of the Baylor Lady Bears basketball program, gave her opinion on today's decision by the NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Committee to relocate the 13 predetermined preliminary round sites for the 2021 Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

The committee emphasized the importance of conducting the championship in a manageable geographic area that limits travel and provides a safe and controlled environment with competition and practice venues, medical resources and lodging for teams and officials all within proximity of one another.

"Everything that goes on in winter sports right now pertaining to basketball is all about men's basketball and it should be," Coach Mulkey acknowledged.

"They are the breadwinners. They are the ones that have to make the money in order to pay the NCAA and the bills of the NCAA and to pay all of our salaries.

"I don't think that's a secret to anybody that follows collegiate sports. I think, that, if any year, you should separate the men and women on things that you are doing, I'm all for separating them; and, I'll give you an example."

Then, Coach Mulkey gave an example of the difference between men's and women's college basketball.

"Just last week we were told that you're going to have play a game regardless if you have 6 players. Six players!

"I understand administration wants to put a product on the floor regardless. Just play the game. It's not about winning and losing. Well, ask Will Muschamp (former South Carolina football head coach who was fired November 15 after a 2-5 record this season and 28-30 the last 5 seasons) if it's about winning and losing today.

"So, that sends a mixed message to me that if it's just about playing games and making money, then, why are coaches being fired?"

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Coach Mulkey continued, "I think when you deal with the men this particular year they have a lot of walk-ons; so, you could use six scholarship players and play and put some of your walk-ons on the bench during that game. You don't have that in women's basketball. I have zero walk-ons; so, to ask somebody to play with six players I don't think it does justice to the integrity of the game. I'm speaking for my program. Nor does it allow you to keep kids healthy and safe. Not the way we play. Considering kids foul out of games. Considering kids get in foul trouble when you have to take them out in the first to protect them. So, now, with six players, you're affecting how coaches coach. That's last week's announcement. I don't know if that will change or not; but, my hope is that it will change and that the women will have a few more players in order to play a game than the men this year."

"Right now, it's my understanding, this decision was decided by the Basketball Working Group with the Big 12.

"I don't know after talking to some other people in other conferences that those decisions have been made, yet. I think they're still being determined by each conference."

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