LSU flew the flag on Thursday evening. The No. 7 Tigers confronted a deficit at residence towards No. 9 Virginia Tech on the finish of the primary quarter. However the Tigers proceed to devour the Hokies, with solely feathers lodged of their tooth remaining after an 82-64 victory. This sport was Ultimate 4 Most Excellent Participant Angel Reese’s first since being benched 4 video games in the past within the second half towards Kent State, and in addition head coach Kim Mulkey’s 700th profession victory.
Mulkey’s group dumped water on her in celebration as she entered the locker room, after which Reese and DePaul switch Annesah Morrow bookended their coach whereas carrying “Kim Mulkey 700” shirts at the postgame podium. Reese completed the sport with 19 factors and 9 rebounds on 50 p.c capturing, together with 4 first-quarter offensive boards. Morrow additionally scored 19 factors and hauled in 15 rebounds. The evening might be thought of good, apart from the truth that Kateri Poole was nonetheless not with the group.
LSU has a loaded roster. After profitable a nationwide championship, Regional Finalist Louisville’s main 2022-23 scorer — Hailey Van Lith — Morrow, and true freshman mega-recruit Mikaylah Williams have been added to the group.
A group that also had stars corresponding to Reese and Poole on the roster. LSU misplaced its first sport of the 2023-24 season to Colorado — who entered Thursday with the identical No. 7 rating because the Tigers within the AP ballot.
With all the rumors swirling across the absence of Reese and Poole — who has performed a complete of 5 minutes after not seeing the ground towards Kent State, and has not been with the group for the final three video games — Mulkey has constantly refused to give specifics about gamers’ absences which has allowed imaginations to run wild as to why.
Poole didn’t refill the stat sheet final season after she transferred to LSU from Ohio State. Nonetheless, as LSU’s level guard, she was a steadying presence as the first ball handler. When she fouled out towards Utah within the fourth quarter of a Candy-16 matchup, the ultimate rating was her group’s narrowest margin of victory within the event — 66-63. She additionally grew to become a reliable 3-point shooter — 53.8 p.c from behind the arc.
With the all-world group that LSU has assembled for this season, dealing with personalities was going to be a herculean job for Mulkey. She introduced in high switch portal and freshman expertise with a nationwide championship core returning.
Mulkey refuses to disclose why Reese was not with the group for some time, nor why Poole was absent for a house sport that doubled as a historic second. The top coach has claimed that she is defending her gamers by not giving specifics about their absences. In Mulkey’s protection, on the finish of Reese’s Thursday evening press availability, the younger ahead did talk about taking good care of her psychological well being.
Perhaps Mulkey is permitting her gamers to step away from the pressures of the nationwide highlight. Nonetheless, if Reese has been coping with psychological well being points, then Mulkey might have at the least put a cease to rumors that the Ultimate 4 MOP’s absence was as a consequence of self-discipline. The general public just isn’t entitled to learn about faculty athletes’ private issues, but when there was any solution to ease a number of the social media hypothesis, Mulkey ought to have tried to take action. In 2023, a part of defending gamers is giving the social networks as little gas to burn as potential. Mulkey’s non-inclination to expose info is not going to cease the posts.
I don’t consider that coaches owe the general public something on the subject of participant self-discipline. Coaches’ obligations in these situations relaxation with the gamers, their households, and in worst-case eventualities, alleged victims.
I’m not snug expressing an opinion as to the rationale for the prolonged absences of Angel Reese and Kateri Poole. That being stated, I’m additionally not snug with Reese returning carrying a celebratory 700-win t-shirt with Mulkey beside her at a press convention, and Poole continues to be not with the group.
One 21-year-old sidling with an influence dealer following an absence doesn’t present a conclusion to a nebulous couple of weeks.
