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The 2024-25 NCAA season ended in heartbreak for the LSU Fighting Tigers, as their journey in March Madness reached its end against the UCLA Bruins. Following the soul-crushing 72-65 loss at Spokane Arena, former Louisiana State star Angel Reese issued a concise, yet vivid statement.
For the second time in as many seasons, LSU witnessed their college basketball season come to an end in the Elite Eight round of March Madness. A catastrophic second quarter was the decisive point in a grueling matchup between the Bruins and Tigers.
UCLA took the lead into the halftime and never looked back, despite LSU’s constant pressure. The Bruins moved on to the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four for the first time in program history, while the Tigers failed on their hope of a second championship.
Angel Reese was the soul of LSU’s national champion team, leading the Tigers during their magical run in March Madness 2023, defeating Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the decisive stage. However, Reese is no longer in college basketball and couldn’t help turn the tide for her alma mater during their loss to UCLA.
Reese’s helplessness led her to drop a candid six-word message aiming at the game official, as the ticket to the Final Four slipped through LSU‘s fingers.
“These refs man [shaking my head],” Angel Reese posted on her X, formerly Twitter, account. Prior to that, Reese had posted a message of support for the Tigers, stating: “We gotta fight! Come on.”
Aneesah Morrow’s incident
Midway through the third quarter, LSU’s Aneesah Morrow collided with teammate Sa’Myah Smith, who was pushed by UCLA star Lauren Betts into Morrow. The senior Tigers player suffered an injury to her nose, which was bleeding as she had to step away from the court.
Morrow would return during the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to spark the comeback and LSU’s season came to an end in Spokane. “My nose was bleeding. But I’m tough, and I’m gonna go and try to compete for my team,” Morrow later stated, per The Advocate reporter Reed Darcey.
