For a split second in the postgame handshake line after LSU outdueled UCLA in the Sweet 16, it looked like Angel Reese was about to make the Tigers and Bruins’ beef from the papers spill onto the court when she disrespectfully talked trash to a member of the UCLA coaching staff. Just look at the reaction from Kim Mulkey’s assistant coach in front of Reese.
Angel Reese’s comments in the handshake line
He seemed to think it was all about to go down, quickly turning around when he heard Angel’s comment to assure the UCLA coaches that “we’re good.” It seemed to stem from a verbal back-and-forth Reese had with the Bruins bench in the fourth quarter before she fouled out of the game with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
When asked to clarify in the postgame press conference, Reese specified that it was an assistant coach, not UCLA head coach Cori Close, who “was talking a little crazy,” but she refused to go into further detail.
Controversial LA Times article about LSU
It was a continuation of a war of words between LSU and UCLA that started before the game thanks to a disgraceful article in the LA Times. The author described LSU as “dirty debutantes” and their opponents as “milk and cookies.” In an attempt to spark an even clearer divide, the column characterized the matchup as “good versus evil. Right versus wrong. Inclusive versus divisive.”
I do not care how you feel about Kim Mulkey, Angel Reese, LSU, etc., the LA Times article on LSU/UCLA is pathetic and extremely disrespectful.
— Khirey Walker, PhD (@docwalk_) March 31, 2024
“I’m not going to let you attack young people, and there were some things in this commentary that you should be offended by as women,” Kim Mulkey said about it after the game. “It was so sexist. It was good versus evil in that game today. Evil? Called us dirty debutantes? Are you kidding me? “I’m not going to let you talk about 18- to 21-year-old kids in that tone,” Mulkey added.
LSU guard Hailey Van Lith echoed her coach’s thoughts, going a step further and labelling the article “racist” toward her Black teammates. Adding to the drama, Close reposted the article on her Twitter/X account before the game, although she later apologized for doing so without reading the full article.
Things almost got ugly in the handshake line, but Angel’s warning was met with silence from the UCLA assistant. It’s hard to talk back when the other person backs it up.  You can expect more when LSU battles the Iowa Hawkeyes for a spot in the Final Four on Monday. When asked to compare Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, Mulkey said, “they both are competitors and both trash talk.”
