LSU’s Kim Mulkey has message for Iowa’s Caitlin Clark during postgame handshake

While many were focused on Angel Reese’s taunting of Caitlin Clark, LSU coach Kim Mulkey had a different message Sunday for the Iowa superstar following the Tigers’ 102-85 win for the NCAA women’s national championship.

During the postgame handshake line, the LSU coach pulled Clark aside to let her know she was a generational player.

Clark, The Associated Press national player of the year, couldn’t lead the Hawkeyes to their first national title despite one of the greatest individual performances in NCAA Tournament history. The junior finished with 30 points. She scored 40 in the semifinals to knock out unbeaten South Carolina one game after she had the first 40-point triple-double in NCAA history in the Elite Eight.

RELATED: Get your LSU national championship gear here

The guard, who grew up in Iowa, set the NCAA record for points in a tournament, passing the 177 that Sheryl Swoopes scored in 1993 en route to leading Texas Tech to the title that year. Clark ended her tournament with 191.

Meanwhile, Mulkey had tears of joy as she led her team to the first basketball title in school history.

The victory made Mulkey the first women’s coach to win national championships at two different schools. She won three at Baylor before leaving for LSU two years ago.

The flamboyantly dressed Mulkey, who wore a sparkly, golden, tiger-striped outfit, now has the third-most titles of all time behind Geno Auriemma’s 11 and Pat Summitt’s eight. Mulkey has never lost in a championship game.

The 102 points broke the previous high for a championship game, surpassing the 97 that Texas scored against Southern California in 1986.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.