"That win was personal": Angel Reese gets fired up as Kim Mulkey's LSU beats NC State to qualify for Elite 8 in NCAA tournament

Former LSU star Angel Reese was fired up as Kim Mulkey's LSU team defeated NC State 80-73 on Friday, securing a spot in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women’s Tournament. The No. 3 seed Tigers rallied past the second-seeded Wolfpack in a tense regional semifinal.

LSU, which claimed the national title two years ago under Mulkey, has now reached the Elite Eight for the third straight year. They will face either top-seeded UCLA or No. 5 Mississippi on Sunday.

After the win, Reese took to X, posting:

“Oh & that win was personal. THANK YA.”

What likely made the win "personal" for Reese was the incident involving NC State coach Wes Moore back in February. Before a game against Notre Dame, Moore posed with a fan holding a sign saying "Angel Reese Stinks."

Tigers star Flau’Jae Johnson had a tough night against NC State, scoring just three points on 1-of-8 shooting. Her game ended early after a hard fall while chasing a loose ball. Johnson stayed down for several minutes before being helped to the sideline, where she was given eye drops.

However, coach Mulkey added that she expects Johnson to be "good to go" by Sunday.

Kim Mulkey expresses admiration for Aneesah Morrow

Kim Mulkey had nothing but praise for Aneesah Morrow after LSU’s thrilling Sweet 16 victory. The forward delivered a dominant performance, scoring 30 points and grabbing 19 rebounds. Mulkey said:

“She’s an undersized post player in there battling bigger girls, demanding the ball, guarding on the perimeter,” she said. We only hit three threes tonight.

“For you WNBA scouts, I think she lit it up from out there,” she added. “I think they forget she can shoot the three-ball because that’s all she did at Depaul. For us, it’s not needed.”

As for Morrow, she credited LSU’s passionate fanbase as the reason for choosing the Tigers.

“The love and support that I got from the fans when I first came on my visit,” She said. “That's exactly why I came here… they care about you more than just a player… they really watch us and they really support us. And it's good for someone to not only care about you as an athlete but as a person.”

Aneesah Morrow is having an outstanding tournament, averaging 22.7 points and 14 rebounds in three games. Kim Mulkey will be hoping she can continue her hot streak in the Elite Eight.