Louisiana State University women’s basketball forward Angel Reese contributed her own less-than-angelic antics to the building tensions that exploded at the end of the LSU-South Carolina title game on Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina.
As noted by Charles Curtis at the sports website For the Win, Reese did her part to stoke the fire of revenge on South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso by yanking Cardoso’s hair while everyone else – including the referees — was distracted by an LSU-three pointer.
Reese and Cardoso also spent the game jostling and “jawing” at each other as the NCAA’s Southeastern Conference championship game went on, with undefeated South Carolina eventually coming out on top, 79-72.
Angel Reese with that not-so-subtle hair pull. @espn pic.twitter.com/h2s8BQd7pe
— Michael Day (@MichaelDayDMD) March 10, 2024
Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso are getting after it 😤 pic.twitter.com/ae9DKarEjX
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 10, 2024
Reese, however, was a spectator to a brawl that led to six ejections as the game neared its close, as Cardoso played the role of enforcer, according to ESPN.
The melee began after South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley stole the ball from LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson, who grabbed on and was called for an intentional foul with South Carolina leading 73-67 at that point. Johnson then bumped South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins while going to the bench, ESPN reported.
Enter Cardoso, who at 6-foot-7 was easily able to shove the 5-10 Johnson to the floor, as ESPN reported.
Video of the fracas is below. The camera didn’t catch Cordoso’s actual shove.
Johnson’s brother leaped onto the court to confront Cardoso but was taken away by police, according to ESPN.
Cardoso issued an apology after the game.
Should Angel Reese have been ejected for yanking an opponent’s hair?
“I would like to extend my sincerest apologies for my actions during today’s game,” she wrote. “My behavior was not representative of who I am as a person or the South Carolina program, and I deeply regret any discomfort or inconvenience it may have caused. I take full responsibility for my actions and assure you that I am committed to conducting myself with the utmost respect and sportsmanship in the future.”
I would like to extend my sincerest apologies for my actions during today’s game. My behavior was not representative of who I am as a person or the South Carolina program, and I deeply regret any discomfort or inconvenience it may have caused. I take full responsibility for my…
— Kamilla_Cardoso (@Kamillascsilva) March 10, 2024
The New York Post noted that Cardoso will not be eligible to play in the first round of the NCAA tournament due to the incident.
“For us playing a part in that, that’s not who we are,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “That’s not what we’re about.”
She said the pushing and shoving “didn’t come from an ugly place.”
As for Reese, the player who has become almost as well known among casual followers of the sport for her bad behavior on the court as she is for her playing abilities helped set the stage for the the ugliness at the end of the game.
Her own coach, Kim Mulkey, admitted as much when she said post-game that Cardoso should have picked on someone her own size.
The shove can be seen in the video below Mulkey speaking:
“I wish she would have pushed Angel Reese. … You 6’8”, don’t push somebody that little.”
Kim Mulkey speaks after Kamilla Cardoso pushed Flau’jae Johnson in LSU-SC scuffle 😳 pic.twitter.com/AOUaVlrbKS
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 10, 2024
“No one wants to be a part of that,” Mulkey said. “No one wants to see that ugliness.”
“But I can tell you this, I wish she would’ve pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a kid. You’re 6-8, don’t push somebody that little. That was uncalled for, in my opinion. Let those two girls that were jawing, let them go at it.”
