Angel Reese subtly engaged with MTSU player Anastasiia Boldyreva amid the fiery atmosphere of a high-stakes March Madness showdown.
On Sunday, LSU put up a remarkable show against Middle Tennessee State University in the March Madness matchup, bouncing back from a four-point halftime deficit to win by a massive 27-point margin and advance to the Sweet 16.
Yet, the game did not escape unscathed from its share of controversies.
LSU’s Reese, who had already been in the limelight for her stellar performance in the game, made headlines for taunting MTSU’s Boldyreva after getting her to foul out.
LSU's Angel Reese waved goodbye to Middle Tennessee's Anastasiia Boldyreva after she picked up her 5th foul in the 3rd quarter 😳pic.twitter.com/R2Hk15deDF
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 24, 2024
Reese tweeted post-game,
“Clickbait everything I do keep going viral,” highlighted the attention she received for drawing the foul and sending the opposing team’s Boldyreva off the court early.
“clickbait everything i do keep going viral”
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) March 24, 2024
With LSU up 55-49 late in the third quarter, Reese drew a foul from Boldyreva, causing the MTSU center to pick up her fifth and final foul.
As Boldyreva left the court, Reese smiled and waved goodbye, an iconic March Madness moment that got the LSU fans.
Despite the drama surrounding Angel Reese’s taunt, she had a commendable performance in the game, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds, recording her 14th-straight double-double.
Against resilient Middle Tennessee, LSU clawed back from a halftime deficit of four points and a daunting nine-point second-half lag, rallied for an 83-56 victory, and punched their ticket to the Sweet 16.
Kim Mulkey had to make multiple attempts to get the attention of Angel Reese
Head coach Kim Mulkey of the LSU Lady Tigers talks with Angel Reese #10.
During the game against MTSU, Angel Reese had been positioned on the block, ready to grab another rebound if the opportunity arose.
Finally catching Mulkey’s eye, she mouthed the message,
“I need you”
I asked Angel Reese about Kim Mulkey telling her “I need you.”
“I just didn’t want to let my team down. I didn’t want this to be my last game. I didn’t have a great scoring night but I was doing whatever it takes.”
“Me and Coach Mulkey has that relationship.”#LSU
— Cory Diaz (@ByCoryDiaz) March 24, 2024
Despite having only scored eight points until that point, Reese decided to heed Mulkey’s advice, and it paid off – on the next LSU offensive possession, Reese made a no-look wraparound pass to Aneesah Morrow, who finished the layup and put the Tigers up 45-43.
From there, LSU outscored MTSU 38-13 to clinch the 83-56 victory and secure a spot in the Sweet 16.
“I was just doing whatever I could to just help the team, getting steals, getting in passing lanes, and helping my point guard,” Reese said.
Star forward scored 12 of her 20 points during LSU’s closing stretch, securing her 14th straight double-double with 11 rebounds.
The win puts LSU one step closer to a potential rematch with Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight, with the team set to face the winner of Creighton and UCLA in the Sweet 16.
