Angel Reese Gives LSU Reality Check After Thrashing Rice in March Madness Opener

The Lady Tigers had a tough game today, even though it was expected to be a one-sided matchup. Angel Reese and the team did win over Rice, but at multiple points, everyone felt like they would not. Moving over the hump is an essential part of March Madness. But expectations run high in this single knockout event. Hence, a slight slip from the target could mean you’re out of the entire tournament. Talking about the same, the SEC POY of the Tigers gave a candid outlook on their performance and March Madness.

Answering a question in the post-game interview, Reese said, “Yeah, this is March. Anybody can win at any given time.” She also added a bitter truth for LSU: “Just being able to focus and stay together. Every game is not going to be pretty.”

The impactful forward brought back the memories from last year and said, “We look back at games last year. Our Miami game was not pretty at all. Utah game wasn’t pretty.” The lady in purple and gold also gave a review of their win over the Owls, saying, “So just being able to understand what it takes to win. We got over the hump tonight but we can’t make the same mistakes that we made tonight.”

Despite knowing that this was not their best display, especially as the hosts on their PMAC floor, Angel Reese applauded the new faces of LSU. She gave a shout-out to the confident Mikaylah Williams and Aneesah Morrow. This was their first time on the NCAA stage. She specifically lauded their defensive and offensive performance on the hardwood today.

Read More- What Does March Madness Road Look Like for Angel Reese and LSU after Selection Sunday?

Nevertheless, everyone knows that LSU made some unforgettable mistakes today that could have cost them the entire tournament.

Where did Angel Reese and Co. lack in their opening March Madness game?

While the Tigers did take a lead in the game, they started losing their grip on the rope quite too many times to be comfortable saying it. The defending champions had a rough time cruising past the 14-seed Rice. Apart from several failed opportunities, score-ties, and missed shots, the Lady Tigers also recorded a season-high turnover with 24 today.

No matter what, Angel Reese did grab a hefty 19 rebounds with 10 points, giving her 13th double-double. Her unstoppable partner Aneesah Morrow grabbed 15 points and 7 rebounds for LSU. At the end of the day, they ascend to the next round where Cinderella Middle Tennessee (11) will be waiting for them.

It is good to know that everyone on the LSU roster now understands that they could do better. We will look forward to meeting Angel Reese and the Lady Tigers against their second-round opponents, the Blue Raiders, tomorrow at the PMAC, Baton Rouge.

Read More- “I Just Try to Do Whatever to Win”: Angel Reese Talks About March Madness Before Their Opening Game Against the Owls