LSU's March Madness run ended in heartbreak. Former star Angel Reese's simple three-word reaction sparked a massive response from fans. They believe they know exactly what the Tigers were missing in their stunning loss to Duke.

Reese, who played at LSU from 2022 to 2024 and was later drafted by the Chicago Sky in the 2024 WNBA Draft, shared her feelings about the loss.

Posting on her X account, where she has 727.7K followers, the 23-year-old wrote, "What a game," which quickly drew multiple reactions within hours.

Kim Mulkey stood with her hands on her hips as the LSU Tigers women's basketball saw their Sweet 16 run end, her expression showing resignation before she turned to the bench and pointed out an issue with rebounding.

Kim Mulkey did not hesitate to point out where LSU fell short after their 87–85 Sweet 16 loss to the Duke Blue Devils women's basketball.

“Rebounding and second-chance points really beat you… We couldn’t grab a rebound,” she said.

Duke’s 20 offensive boards helped tilt a game that was otherwise even on the glass (41–41).

While the LSU Tigers women's basketball actually outscored Duke 52–38 in the paint, those extra possessions proved decisive, allowing Duke to stay within striking distance before sealing the win at the buzzer.

It was indeed a painful loss, and fans couldn’t help but think about how Angel Reese’s rebounding presence might have made the difference.

Fans Rally Around Angel Reese After LSU’s Tough Exit

As the Sweet 16 run ended, many fans thought about the players who should have been on the court.

“They needed you and Neesah real bad 😭,” one fan wrote.

The comment pointed out how much LSU missed Angel Reese’s rebounding and Aneesah Morrow’s defense in that loss.

"Why u didnt sub in... we needed you 😭😭," another fan wrote.

Another fan replied directly to Reese, noting her lasting impact on the program.

“LSU need to give you a statue and retire your jersey, you earned it angel, love LSU but they haven't been the same since you left,” another fan wrote.

While Angel Reese said she’d like a 10-foot statue in Chicago to honor her impact after her first WNBA season, there are no official plans yet to make it happen. This was brought up again.

“They need to start working on your statue GOAT😭😭,” another fan penned.

Meanwhile, another fan simply focused on how her departure has immediately affected the team.

“We miss you 😢 you knew how to grab a f****** rebound,” the fan said.

Kim Mulkey’s frustration said it all. Without Angel Reese anchoring the glass, the LSU Tigers women's basketball simply could not win. In March, when possessions decide everything, those missed rebounds turned a tight contest into a season-ending reality.

Read more at She Got Game!

Written by

Sauramita Debbarma

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote