LSU's Angel Reese Not With Team for Game vs. Southeastern Louisiana

Angel Reese was not with the LSU women's basketball team during their 73-50 Friday night victory over Southeastern Louisiana.

ESPN's Alexa Philippou first reported Reese' absence.

"You want me to explain why?" head coach Kim Mulkey said after the game. "It's very obvious Angel was not in uniform. Angel is a part of this basketball team, and we hope to see her sooner than later."

"I'm not going to answer any more. That's it. That's all y'all need to know."

Reese was benched for the second half of LSU's last game, a 109-47 Sunday win over Mississippi Valley State.

When asked Sunday if she could expand on Reese's limited playing time, Mulkey said, "I could, but I won't."

"It was just a coach's decision," Mulkey said.

Reese recorded 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting before she was benched Sunday.

Although LSU was a favorite to beat Kent State, the Tigers were only leading by 39-37 at the time Reese was benched.

Questions regarding discord within the Tigers were sparked by a recent social media spat between the mothers of Reese and LSU guard Flau'jae Johnson that eventually involved former 2023 national championship team members Alexis Morris and Jasmine Carson.

The social media eventually caught the attention of even WNBA players.

Mulkey dismissed a question Thursday about the social media drama, but has been slightly more direct in her criticism of the team's experienced players.

After No. 1-ranked LSU lost their season-opener 92-78 to No. 20 Colorado, Mulkey said she was "disappointed and surprised in some individual players that I thought would just be tougher and have a little fight and leadership about them," per ESPN's Michael Voepel.

Reese had 15 points and 12 rebounds on 6-of-15 shooting in the loss.

"You live with poor shooting, you live with a tough night offensively. What I don't live with is just guts and fight and physical play [not being there]," Mulkey said. "I just didn't think we had that tonight."

"I thought Mikaylah Williams and Sa'Myah Smith did all they could. You're talking about a true freshman and a true sophomore. We need more than just them to have a little bit of fight."