Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso were battling in the paint during the entirety of Sunday’s SEC Championship game. The two women’s college basketball stars were trading blows throughout all four quarters.
It was a war!
Reese is 6-foot-3. Cardoso is 6-foot-7.
Even though the LSU forward was out-sized by the South Carolina center, she fought back with tenacity. They were going it at from the jump. Reese told Cardoso that she was going to bring it all day long during a fiery battle early in the first quarter. Cardoso welcomed Reese’s challenge with a laugh.
Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso are getting after it 😤 pic.twitter.com/ae9DKarEjX
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 10, 2024
As can happen when two fierce competitors get together on the hardwood, things escalated in a hurry. What began (and ultimately continued) as passion quickly turned ugly.
Reese pretty yanked Cardoso’s hair while jostling for position under the basket.
Angel Reese with that not-so-subtle hair pull. @espn pic.twitter.com/h2s8BQd7pe
— Michael Day (@MichaelDayDMD) March 10, 2024
It appeared as though the latter extended her arm to push the former away, which led her to react in an egregious manner.
— – (@Spicoli_____) March 10, 2024
No foul was assessed on the play despite Cardoso’s plea. Reese got away with one.
As did the Gamecocks big during the second quarter. She two-hand pushed Bayou Barbie while trying to set up on defense.
Reese retaliated by throwing her weight back at Cardoso— who was the instigator.
Cordobo pushes Angel Reese. No call. Angel retaliates gets an intentional. pic.twitter.com/Unkw2WK1Wf
— Rick Kloete (@ob1kalody) March 10, 2024
Regardless of who started what, the officials saw the reactionary bump and blew a whistle.
Upon further review, Angel Reese threw an elbow that caught Kamilla Cardoso in the face. Initially called as a common foul, it was upgraded to an intentional flagrant foul after the referees took a look at the video.
Both players have a history. Cardoso blocked Reese and stared her down in Columbia earlier this year. Their rivalry is real. There is bad blood (on the court) between them.
Sunday’s matchup was physical from the jump and never slowed down. They — and their women’s college basketball teams — went back-and-forth all afternoon.
The game ended with multiple ejections and a bench-clearing brawl that resulted in a suspension for Cardoso!