Angel Reese Making History for Women’s Basketball

Jan 6, 2023 - 5:30 PM

1978.

That was when Maree Jackson set the LSU single game rebound record. Sophomore transfer Angel Reese broke it with 28 rebounds with a 74-34 win against Texas A&M on Thursday.

2008.

That was the last time LSU had a player with 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game when Sylvia Fowles scored 24 points and 20 rebounds in the Final Four. Reese met that milestone against Orgeon State earlier this season and did it again on Thursday, the only player in the country to do it twice this season.

2003.

That was the last and only time LSU started 15-0. LSU tied that when they won on Thursday.

There’s a lot of great players who came before me,” Reese stated. “On (January 15) Seimone Augustus’ statue is going up (at LSU). I want to be like that, I want to set records, I want a statue one day. Being able to look up to someone like Seimone or Sylvia Fowles. I want to be in the same columns as players like them. I’m very blessed to be in the situation that I’m in.”

Reese has put a monster season together for LSU as the Tigers have made a return to the stratosphere of women’s basketball. The Tigers are No. 7 in the AP poll, No. 2 in the NET rankings, and No. 4 in the HerHoopStats advanced metric ranking.

Angel Reese leads the SEC in points (24.1) and rebounds (15.8). She leads the nation in rebounds and is sixth in the country in scoring.

Reese has been prolific on the boards. Her 237 rebounds are the seventh most in the last 15 seasons. That is with 13 more regular season games left to play.

Her play is a big reason why LSU has been so solid this season. Reese leads the nation in win shares by HerHoopStats. She has played a huge role this season, but she has not been alone.

LSU has four other players in the top-30 in the SEC in points in seniors Jasmine Carson, Alexis Morris, and freshman Flau’Jae Johnson. Flau’Jae, herself, leads the SEC freshman in points per game. Morris is fourth in the SEC in assists. Freshman Sa’Myah Smith is fourth in the SEC in blocks per game.

Still, Angel Reese has been on another level.

Reese has put together a double-double in every game this season, the longest streak to start the season in SEC history. It is already the fifth most double-doubles in a season by any player in LSU history.

She is well on the way to one of the best seasons in LSU history.

“That’s greatness right there,” said Flau’Jae.