Kim Mulkey breaks down Angel Reese's leadership for LSU

As the defending national champions this season, LSU has found that opponents are gearing up for every single game, refusing to take the matchup lightly. If not for the leadership of superstar Angel Reese, the Tigers might be in a very different spot.

But Reese has led the charge for LSU this season, keeping her Tigers teammates focused and as loose as possible, despite the challenges of always getting the best shot from opponents.

“Angel’s leadership can best be, maybe described is the word, but how hard you play in practice,” coach Kim Mulkey said. “How hard do you play in practice as this last month kind of comes to a close for her career at LSU? Just play hard. And if she does that then the rest of them will play hard and they’ll play with a lot of confidence when she’s playing hard.”

Reese has stuffed the stat sheet all year long.

The senior forward is averaging a double-double with 19.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. She has also chipped in blocks, steals and assists on occasion, a well-rounded player.

Throw in her leadership abilities and LSU will certainly miss her when she’s gone.

Angel Reese has been one of the key reasons the team has been able to take the best shot from seemingly every opponent and not let it wear the team down over the course of the season.

Seemingly every week LSU gets a test from a team that, on paper, shouldn’t really be a problem. Like Thursday night against Auburn, a game that went down to the wire in a 71-66 LSU win.

Mulkey talked about the idea that every team seems to treat LSU as its Super Bowl.

“No, you do have that in athletics. I don’t know if Auburn plays every team in this league the way they’ve played us. I don’t even know what Auburn’s record is,” Mulkey said, before looking to reporters and being informed. “To think that team tonight has only won five games, and guys we’re working hard out there. We’re trying. It’s not like we’re just chopped liver. We’re trying our best. They just get after us.”

For Reese and LSU, it’s all about getting to the postseason. Once in the NCAA Tournament anything can happen, as the Tigers proved a year ago.

Still, it’s easy enough to wonder where LSU would be without Angel Reese’s leadership. She’s been a mainstay on a team that has needed her throughout the season.