$1.8M NIL-valued Angel Reese breaks silence on receiving hate ahead of marquee matchup against Caitlin Clark’s Iowa: “I'll take the villain role”

Angel Reese and the LSU Lady Tigers are gearing up to play a thrilling game against Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes on Monday. The entire college hoops world has been waiting for the two teams to clash, with all eyes on two stars: Angel Reese (LSU) and Caitlin Clark (Iowa).

However, before the game, 'Bayou Barbie' opened up about the hate she receives for being an assertive player on the court. Reese, who has a NIL valuation of $1.8 million (On3), also opened up about her rivalry with the Iowa star player.

"Me and Caitlin Clark don't hate each other. Like, I want everybody to understand that it's just a super competitive game, and, like, I would just wish people realize that, like, once I get between those lines, there's no friends," said Reese in a pre-game media conference.

"We're not buddies. I'm gonna trash talk to you. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get in your head the whole entire game ... I'll take the villain role. I'll take the hate for it," concluded Angel Reese.

Angel faced objections about being "classless" or a "thug" in college hoops because of her dominant playing style and tendency to trash-talk her opponents.

In last year's NCAA tournament, Reese taunted Caitlin Clark, for which she received much criticism. Despite that, fans are ecstatic to see the two stars battle it out in the Elite Eight game.

Former Super Bowl star reacts to Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark game

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Brown gave his reaction to the LSU vs. Iowa game. The Super Bowl winner uploaded an image of Mel Gibson and Dany Glover's Lethal Weapon 2 movie on X and wrote:

"Iowa vs LSU rematch on Monday #CTESPN"

Brown has been actively watching the women's college basketball matches. Before uploading his reaction to the Reese-Clark game, he congratulated the latter on surpassing the NCAA scoring record.

Are you excited to watch the LSU vs. Iowa Elite Eight game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.