By Lake Marion
Special to the AFRO
Angel Reese, the Randallstown, Md., native and St. Frances graduate, came home and handled business as she and the Louisiana State University Tigers defeated the Coppin State University Eagles 80-48 on Dec. 20.
Almost two years ago, Reese was playing for the University of Maryland Terrapins when she last played against the Eagles and earned a double-double in their win.
This time, in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,100 – the line to enter wrapped around the Physical Education Complex buildings on Coppin’s campus – Reese was happy to be playing in front of not only the LSU fans that traveled to the game, but the home crowd as well.
“A lot of people came out tonight,” Reese said. “I know they were supporting Coppin, but being able to come to a historically Black college… coming back here, doing a lot for this community and them (members of the community) being able to see opportunity—where there can be a lot of little girls knowing they can have this opportunity— was something that was important to me.”
Reese said that coming into Coppin was “completely different” this time around compared to how it was when she played at Maryland.
“My sophomore year I remember the first time I came here there weren’t that many fans here,” she said. “But coming in tonight just seeing my impact and being able to see how so much has changed…. I’m just happy the place that I’m in and the people I’ve been able to touch.”
Reese showed out, finishing the game with 26 points, six rebounds and five steals (tying her career-high in steals) in the team’s cruising victory. It was the team’s 12-straight win since their season-opening loss to Colorado.
Head coach Kim Mulkey understood the importance of this game and what it would mean to Reese when it was put on the team’s schedule this season.
“This is Angel Reese’s hometown area,” Mulkey said. “ We try to go back to the hometown areas of our players, but it doesn’t always work out. Other than recruiting, scheduling is the second hardest thing to do in college athletics. We were just grateful we could work it out.”
The Tigers came out victorious in the end and the Eagles couldn’t keep up with the No. 7 ranked team, but it was still a moral victory for Coppin.
Eagles head coach Jermaine Woods gave credit to coach Mulkey for signing off on the scheduling to play against a historically Black college and praised his team for continuing to fight back throughout the game.
“Obviously you want to win,” Woods said. “But I was proud of the fight. I think all of you left out of here and said that our young women never and that’s the goal.”
And the Eagles didn’t give up, especially earlier on in the second quarter where they were down by 10 before going on a 10-4 run to gain a little momentum.
Eagles leading scorer and guard Tiffany Hammond and forward Laila Lawrence, who finished with 32 points and five steals, combined, felt the physicality of the game when going up against bigger opponents like Reese.
“You had to stand your ground and just be physical throughout the whole night,” Lawrence said. “You gotta hit her first every time or she’s gonna hit you.”
Hammond seconded Lawrence’s comment about the tenacity required to play against Reese and the Tigers.
“We had to be physical on both ends of the court,” she said. “Fighting for positions, trying to rebound with girls that’s over 6-foot-5, it was a physical game the whole time.”
Coach Woods said that they had a lot of fun for the “first time in a long time” after playing an opponent like LSU and just wanted to “enjoy the moment” as the Eagles prepare for another tough game against Duke Dec. 28.
As for Reese and the Tigers, they will travel back home and get some rest before they play against Jacksonville Dec. 30, seeking to win their 13th straight game.
Reese left with a little advice for college students before preparing to head back to Louisiana.
“Take some time to yourself,” Reese said. “Mental health is the most important thing and being able to put yourself first.”
Marion Lake is an AFRO intern from Morgan State University.