Angel Reese reacts to SEC title loss, scuffle with South Carolina

All eyes were on LSU and South Carolina on Sunday as two of the nation’s top 10 ranked teams squared off in Bon Secours Wellness Arena for the SEC Women’s Tournament final. A title game that wound up having no shortage of action in between and after the whistle.

Sunday’s matchup featured two ties and three lead changes as South Carolina took home their eighth SEC Tournament Championship since 2015 with a 79-72 victory over the Tigers. But the win was overshadowed by a scuffle that broke out in the fourth quarter that resulted in six ejections between both teams.

LSU star forward Angel Reese was one of the players who was not ejected and closed out the game for the Tigers, and immediately after the game, she decided to send a message via Twitter that can be seen below.

geaux tigers.😘

— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) March 10, 2024

Reese’s tweet reflects positivity and pride in her school despite LSU winding up on the losing end of Sunday’s championship game. But could also be referring to the altercation that highlighted the end of the matchup.

With 2:08 remaining in the game, a steal by South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley resulted in an intentional foul by LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson. With Johnson bumping into Ashlyn Watkins afterward before Gamecocks’ center Kamilla Cardoso pushed Johnson to the floor which ignited the bench-clearing quarrel.

Johnson’s brother even leaped over the scorer’s table and got involved in the altercation before police escorted him off the court in handcuffs in one of the most bizarre moments of the women’s college basketball season. As the Tigers had to finish the game with just five players and South Carolina with just six following the multitude of ejections, with Cardoso also having to miss the Gamecocks’ next game in the first round of the NCAA Tournament following her actions.

The messaging and intent behind Reese’s tweet may seem a little unclear, but she made her feelings regarding the Gamecocks very clear in her comments following the game.

“We’re not scared of South Carolina and I’m gonna repeat that,” Reese said. “We’re not scared of South Carolina. A lot of people are scared of them and we came in and battled and battled and battled until the end. Of course we came up short, but we’ll see them again or whoever will see them again.”

Reese ended the game with 15 points and 13 rebounds, matched up against Cardoso for the majority of the game in a matchup that was physical throughout. And although she doesn’t fear the Gamecocks, the Tigers have not defeated them since 2012.

LSU was able to secure an NCAA Championship win last season without playing South Carolina. But there’s no question that in this year’s tournament, all fans would love to see the two teams square off yet again in a high-intensity matchup, including Angel Reese it seems like.