The LSU Tigers, 2022-23 women’s college basketball’s national champions, were without their best player — Angel Reese — on Friday night.
The No. 7 Tigers, who are just 11 days removed from getting upset by No. 20 Colorado in their first game of the season, beat Southeastern Louisiana, 73-50, on Friday without Reese.
This comes on the heels of Reese’s second-half benching during LSU’s 109-79 win over Kent State on Tuesday night.
After Friday’s win, head coach Kim Mulkey addressed the situation but gave little reason for the move.
“You want me to explain why? It’s very obvious Angel was not in uniform,” Mulkey told reporters. “Angel is a part of this basketball team and we hope to see her sooner than later.”
Mulkey described Reese’s halftime benching — when the Lady Tigers led Kent State 39-37 before pulling away in the final 20 minutes — as a “coach’s decision.”
Asked Thursday whether Reese would start Friday — and whether Brooklyn native and South Shore High School alum Kateri Poole would play after being benched the entire Kent State game