Aneesah Morrow shouts out Last-Tear Poa to motivate team to upset undefeated South Carolina

LSU is only four points behind No. 1 South Carolina at halftime of the SEC Tournament Championship. LSU junior Aneesah Morrow is largely to thank. The standout guard leads the team with 11 points and four rebounds. Before the break, Morrow revealed her mindset during the massive game.

“I wanted to do whatever I could for my team and I’m doing that tonight,” Morrow said. “I’m taking charges for [Last-Tear] Poa. I’m just trying to be everywhere that I possibly can be.”

Morrow is referring to teammate Last-Tear Poa, who had to be stretchered off the court in LSU’s semifinal win over Ole Miss on Saturday.

After initially staying down for a number of minutes, Poa got up with the help of her teammates but was clearly struggling to support herself on her own two feet. After trainers came over to help her off the floor, she was shortly laid back down.

Poa was eventually put in a neck brace and stabilized on a backboard to prevent further displacement or her head and neck. It’s a common precaution when transporting anyone with an unidentified head and neck injury.

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey also quickly came out to comfort Poa and apparently told the LSU team that Poa had movement in her limbs as she was being attended to.

Shortly after she was taken from the arena and off for further evaluation, ESPNU sideline reporter Brooke Weisbrod shared that Poa was being taken from the arena to a local hospital. Poa had been placed in a protective neck brace and stabilized on a board, common procedures for someone with an undiagnosed head and neck injury.

After attending to Poa along with medical staff on the floor, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey came back to her huddle and reassured her distraught players, noting that the guard had been moving her extremities and limbs prior to being removed, according to Weisbrod.

With the setback, LSU entered Sunday’s contest with extra motivation. When asked about what will be the keys for LSU to upset South Carolina in the second half, Aneesah Morrow kept things concise.

“Executing our offense and defending,” Morrow said.

LSU shot 41.4% from the field and 57.1% from beyond the arc in the first half. The Tigers were without SEC Player of the Year Angel Reese for the final five minutes of the half after she picked up her second foul on an intentional foul against South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso.