LSU standout Angel Reese claims the hubbub on the handshake line following the Tigers’ 78-69 Sweet 16 triumph over UCLA on Saturday was caused by an assistant coach “talking a little crazy.”
Broadcast cameras captured the tense moment in which Reese appeared to speak to someone in the UCLA line.
Initial suspicion was that Reese exchanged words with Bruins head coach Cori Close, who appeared to take exception to something Reese said to the UCLA bench after fouling out with 30 seconds remaining. However, she explained that her statements were meant at an assistant coach.
“Oh no, she told me ‘good game,'” Reese said of Close at LSU’s postgame press conference.
“It was another coach talking a little crazy.”
When asked to elaborate further, Reese said, “Next question.”
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Trouble appeared to begin when Reese fouled out in the last minute of the game. As she approached the bench, she glanced over her shoulder and appeared to say something to the UCLA bench.
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A fired-up Close contacted an official about it, apparently furious that a technical foul was not called.
“That’s just not who we are,” Close responded to Reese’s charges after the game.
“I do not want to say anything about Angel. I will only talk about what the Bruins are, and they are elegant, speaking life into one another. We would never tolerate such behavior, especially from one of our instructors.
Flau’jae Johnson had 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Reese recorded her 26th double-double of the season, propelling LSU closer to a second consecutive crown.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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