Here come the LSU Tigers roaring once again. It didn’t matter it was the Super Bowl night, over 11 thousand fans showed up at Pete Maravich Assembly Center to watch Kim Mulkey’s team remain steadfast on that winning streak and the Tigers did not disappoint. Ten lead changes against the no.19 ranked Tennessee Lady Vols and Angel Reese could sense the electric atmosphere wherever she was.

It was a thriller right from the beginning, with 5 ties and only a maximum of 3-point lead established in the first quarter. Neither let the other dominate through to the end, fetching a reaction from the Chi-Town Barbie.

“THE PMAC IS ROCKINNNN🔥🔥🔥🔥” she penned on X.

Despite the tight run, the Tigers managed to pull away for an 8-point lead with 2 minutes remaining in the final quarter. Though Ruby Whitehorn’s layup and free throws would help close the gap 76-78, a couple of personal fouls sealed the deal for LSU.

Kailyn Gilbert led the team with 23 points and a monster double-double from Aneesah Morrow (14 points, 14 rebounds), helped battle every second against a tough Tennessee squad. Mikaylah Williams also delivered in the clutch, dropping 16 points and dishing out seven assists, including a huge three-pointer in the fourth quarter that gave LSU the edge.

But Tennessee didn’t back down. Ruby Whitehorn’s 21 points kept the Vols in the fight, making for a back-and-forth battle until the final buzzer.

With LSU now sitting at 24-1, the Tigers continue to prove why they’re one of the best in the nation. And with Angel Reese fueling the fire both on and off the court, the hype surrounding LSU women’s basketball is only getting louder. But the question is: Is it too late to cheer for LSU?

Despite Angel Reese’s undeniable impact, LSU continues to hold its own

Angel Reese was undeniably a crucial piece for the LSU Tigers in the last two years. After Caitlin Clark’s jersey retirement early this month, some even suggested the Chi-Town Barbie be given the same recognition. Even ESPN analyst Mechelle Voepel expressed Reese’s jersey “should be the third” retired in LSU history.

After all, she delivered LSU’s first-ever women’s basketball championship and significantly boosted ticket demand by 223% after winning MOP honors with 15 points and 10 rebounds in the title game. However, the Tigers haven’t deterred in their performance in the aims of securing the title. They currently rank no.6 nationally and no.1 in the SEC conference, above South Carolina, the only team they incurred a loss against.

“We’re playing to win,” Mulkey says focusing on one game at a time. “I’m not worried about 10 games down the road. We’re in a dogfight out there.” 

LSU is now in a race to make the no.1 seed alongside 5 others: UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame, Texas, and USC. They face Texas next, who sit no.4 with 8-game winning streak and a win probability of 80.6%. This could prove to be just the challenge for the Tigers.