PHOTO BY: Jonathan Mailhes
All-American forward Angel Reese is back with the 7th-ranked Lady Tigers just in time for Thursday night’s matchup against 9th-ranked Virginia Tech, a rematch of last year’s national semifinal game won by LSU. Reese has missed the last four games for an undisclosed reason and Coach Kim Mulkey says Angel is back and everyone is happy.
“Well, it’s a boost having her back period, it’s just not against Virginia Tech, it’s for our team, she’s just a tremendous player, one of the best players in the country,” said Mulkey.
In four games this season, Reese is averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds a game. She had 24 points and 12 rebounds against Hokie when they beat them last year to advance to the national championship game.
It remains a mystery why Reese missed the last four games, including a trip to the Cayman Islands. Mulkey continues to say it’s a locker room issue.
“There is a sacredness to a locker room and I’m from that school, what’s in that locker room stays in that locker room, unless it becomes something public and you can’t hide, but what goes on in that locker room is still sacred to me,” said Mulkey.
Junior guard Kateri Poole has also been absent from the team. Mulkey says Poole is still not back and did not elaborate if her return is imminent. Poole averaged five points and two assists a game last year as she provided defensive toughness off the bench.
Mulkey did confirm that sophomore forward Sa’Myah Smith will miss the rest of the season after tearing her A-C-L and M-C-L in last Friday’s win over Niagara. Smith is a six-foot-two sophomore forward and Mulkey says she’ll be missed.
“It’s just so sad for her because she has improved by leaps and bounds, she stayed here all summer, the timing of Angel being back kind of helps, but there’s no substitution for the value that Sa’Myah has to our team and what’s she met so far,” said Mulkey.
Smith is averaging 12 points and eight rebounds a game this season. LSU could use Smith against Va Tech. Six-foot-six Elizabeth Kitley is averaging 24 points and 12 rebounds a game. Tipoff is at 8 PM.
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