ALBANY, N.Y. — Kim Mulkey is focused on LSU women's basketball Sweet 16 matchup with UCLA, trying to lead her team to a win and nothing else.

During her press conference inside MVP Arena on Friday morning, Mulkey fielded a couple of questions about the impending The Washington Post article that's about her but she declined to elaborate any further than the initial statement she made last Saturday, which included a threat to sue the news organization if it publishes "a false story about me."

"I did make a statement, and that's all I'll comment on at this time because all I am focused on is to try and win another basketball game," Mulkey told reporters at the Albany 2 Regional. "Thank you for asking, though."

The No. 3 Tigers (30-5) take on the No. 2 Bruins (27-6) Saturday (Noon, ABC).

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What Kim Mulkey said about The Washington Post at the Sweet 16

Mulkey was asked if she has had any contact with anyone from The Post since her lashing out at the outlet and its reporting tactics last week but she declined to comment.

The content of The Washington Post's as-yet-unpublished piece are unclear and when contacted by The USA Today Sports Network last week, the outlet declined to comment on the story.

But according to Mulkey, The Post has spent the better part of two years calling and contacting former coaches and players, alleging that the news organization was looking for "former disgruntled players to get negative quotes to include in the their story."

On Friday, Mulkey was asked if she thought a male coach would be written about in the same rumored context but she waved off the question.

"That's for you to write," the LSU coach said. "I'm only here today to talk about the next game."

Has Kim Mulkey, LSU women's basketball been distracted by rumored The Washington Post article?

In its NCAA Tournament second round game at home against Middle Tennessee, the day after she made her nearly four-minute long statement regarding The Post, LSU came out slower than it likes, trailing 36-32 at halftime before ultimately seizing control of the game in the second half to win, 83-56, and advance to the Sweet 16.

Mulkey said after the game the team was not distracted by the ongoing situation with her off the court and that the team has no idea what was going on.

"No. Listen, man, we're not going to let one sleazy reporter distract us from what we're trying to do," Mulkey said Sunday after the Tigers' win. "Absolutely not. My kids didn't even know I said that yesterday. That team is not involved in this.

"They were in shock when they saw all that on the internet. I don't take that stuff to my team."

LSU junior forward Aneesah Morrow told The Daily Advertiser following the MTSU win that Mulkey's feud with the outlet was never discussed amongst the team.

"I feel like the media sometimes do as much as they can on social media but we stay together," Morrow said. "That's as simple as it is. We stay together and know that it's us against the world."

And while she took more questions regarding The Washington Post story ahead of the Sweet 16 matchup against UCLA, Mulkey wasn't budging and her team looked focused during the media viewing period of practice Friday morning.

Will Kim Mulkey sue The Washington Post?

There's been a week since rumors began to swirl of an article The Washington Post was working on about Mulkey.

The story has not been published, although it was expected to publish sometime this week, and it's unclear when it will run.

But Mulkey went on the offensive with her statement, alleging The Post misleading coaches and players into talking with it for the story claiming the reporter was "with me in Baton Rouge to get them to call him back, trying to trick these coaches into believing that I was working" with The Washington Post on the story, she said.

"You see, reporters who give a megaphone to a one-sided, embellished version of things aren't trying to tell the truth. They're trying to sell newspapers and feed the click machine," Mulkey said.

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"This is exactly why people don't trust journalists and the media anymore. It's these kinds of sleazy tactics and hatchet jobs that people are just tired of."

Mulkey told reporters last week that she has hired "the best defamation law firm in the country" with plans to take action if the story reports any falsehoods about her.

"I'm fed up, and I'm not going to let The Washington Post attack this university, this awesome team of young women I have, or me without a fight. I've hired the best defamation law firm in the country, and I will sue The Washington Post if they publish a false story about me," Mulkey said.

"Not many people are in a position to hold these kinds of journalists accountable, but I am, and I'll do it."

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: What Kim Mulkey said about The Washington Post at Sweet 16