Baylor women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey has been diagnosed with Bell's palsy, the school announced in a press release Thursday:
"I noticed while we were in Des Moines last week that my tongue felt strange. Yesterday I noticed when I smiled, only the left side of my mouth was working. Also, my right eye was drooping and I couldn't hear properly out of my right ear. Our trainer, Alex Olson, examined me before practice and it was decided I needed immediate medical care. Instead of going to practice, I went to the doctor," said Mulkey.
Bell's palsy is a form of facial paralysis resulting from a problem with a cranial facial nerve that results in an inability to control facial muscles on one side of the face.
The disease is still not well understood by doctors, who have not identified any particular cause for it. However, most people who are affected are able to recover almost immediately and regain facial function, even without treatment.
If she is put through the usual regimen of aggressive steroid treatment, Mulkey should be able to coach the Lady Bears during the Final Four.
For more on the Baylor women's quest for a perfect season, stay tuned to SB Nation Dallas' exclusive storystream as well as SB Nation's Baylor blog Our Daily Bears.