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The LSU Tigers might’ve fallen to top seed South Carolina in the SEC Tournament Championship, but don’t expect them to back down in a potential rematch.
Angel Reese gave a fiery postgame interview following the 79-72 defeat, sending a warning to any future opponents, including the Gamecocks.
Sunday’s contest was chippy, seeing players trade blows throughout the matchup.
Reese played her part in that chippiness, pulling on the hair of South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso before being dealt a flagrant foul for throwing an elbow at her opposition.
Tempers eventually boiled over when a benches-clearing brawl erupted with two minutes left in regulation, and those emotions flowed into the postgame press conferences.
LSU head coach Kim Mulkey called out the Gamecocks in her response, adding fuel to the fire.
Her star player echoed that passion, and she’s not ready to back down from anyone.
Angel Reese isn’t scared of South Carolina.
Angel Reese 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/XwBvOCAHIu
— World Exposure Report Women’s Basketball (@WorldExposureWB) March 10, 2024
“We’re not scared of South Carolina, and I’m going to repeat that, we’re not scared of South Carolina,” Reese said. “Of course, we came up short, but we’ll see them again… I’m happy with where we are right now, and anybody seeing us moving forward should be scared.”
While LSU fell in both its meetings with South Carolina this season, those losses came by a combined 13 points. In each matchup, the Tigers jumped out to an early lead before allowing the Gamecocks to battle back.
Reese shined in both contests, averaging 15 points and 10.5 boards.
The only way the Gamecocks and Tigers can meet again would be in the NCAA Tournament, likely in the later rounds with both teams expected to land high seeds.
Angel Reese is hopeful for another shot at South Carolina. Will the third time be the charm?