LSU Welcomes Texas Southern And Celebrates Angel Reese Back Home On Thursday Night

Women's Basketball Welcomes Texas Southern (& Angel Reese Back Home) Thursday as the ninth-ranked LSU Tigers return to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Tipoff between LSU and Texas Southern is scheduled for 7 p.m. Central Time in Baton Rouge.

The matchup features the return of one of the most recognizable figures in program history.

Former LSU superstar Angel Reese will be inside the arena to watch the Tigers take the floor.

Reese will be formally honored at halftime of Thursday night's contest.

The celebration comes on the heels of a historic professional campaign for the former national champion.

Reese captured the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award during her debut campaign with the Atlanta Dream.

She also powered the Dream to the WNBA Finals, marking the franchise's first finals trip since the 2013 season.

Fans unable to attend the game in person can stream the broadcast live on SEC Network +.

Lyn Rollins is scheduled to handle play-by-play duties for the television stream alongside analyst Victor Howell.

The LSU Sports Radio Network will also carry the game, featuring commentary from Patrick Wright and Shaeeta Williams.

RECORD-BREAKING MOMENTUM

The ninth-ranked Tigers enter Thursday's non-conference battle riding an extraordinary offensive explosion.

LSU opened its regular season with a 129-35 victory over Southeastern Louisiana.

That 94-point differential established the largest margin of victory in LSU program history.

The previous school records were 89-point wins against McNeese in 2023 and Southeastern Louisiana in 2025.

LSU generated 69 points in the opening half, setting a new program record for scoring in a first half.

The team's 129 total points finished as the third-most ever scored by any LSU squad.

The Tigers also poured in 37 points during the opening period, marking their highest first-quarter output since women's basketball transitioned to quarters in the 2015-16 season.

At the break, LSU held a commanding 60-point advantage over Southeastern Louisiana.

That 60-point cushion set a program record for the largest halftime lead, edging out a 55-point lead against SLU on Nov. 6, 2025.

Defensively, the Tigers clamped down and surrendered just 36 field goal attempts to Southeastern Louisiana.

That matched the fewest field goal attempts by an LSU opponent since the 1980-81 season.

The only other program held to 36 field goal attempts in that span was Maine on Nov. 29, 2015.

Sophomore ZaKiyah Johnson spearheaded the dominant opening night performance.

Johnson erupted for 33 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead all scorers.

The performance gave Johnson her fourth career double-double.

Her 33-point explosion stood as the highest single-game total by an LSU player since Aneesah Morrow scored 30 points against NC State on March 28, 2025, in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Johnson stuffed the stat sheet further by tallying three assists and collecting five steals.

SERIES HISTORY AND EARLY-SEASON DOMINANCE

Thursday marks the seventh all-time meeting between LSU and Texas Southern.

LSU enters the matchup holding a perfect 6-0 record in the series.

The two programs last squared off on Nov. 20, 2023, during head coach Kim Mulkey's third year in Baton Rouge.

LSU secured a 106-47 victory in that meeting.

Mulkey holds an unblemished 2-0 record against Texas Southern during her tenure with the Tigers.

Her first victory over Texas Southern at LSU came during her inaugural campaign on Dec. 12, 2021, when LSU earned a 96-55 win.

Mulkey has built a reputation for fast starts throughout her time in Baton Rouge.

Since her arrival, Mulkey has guided LSU to a 70-2 record in games played during the months of November and December.

ANGEL REESE RETURNS HOME

While the current Tigers aim to extend their hot start, Thursday’s spotlight will also shine on Reese's celebrated collegiate legacy.

Reese returns to Baton Rouge following an eventful season in the WNBA with Atlanta.

In her first season with the Dream, Reese averaged 16.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.

Her defensive prowess earned her Defensive Player of the Year honors and an All-Star selection.

Reese's interior production proved central to Atlanta's deep playoff run.

That postseason journey reached a dramatic climax in the 2026 WNBA Finals against the Golden State Valkyries.

In Game 3 of the Finals, Reese registered 21 points and 12 rebounds to guide Atlanta to a blowout win and a 2-1 series advantage.

During that contest, Reese directed a "too small" taunt toward the Golden State bench.

The gesture was aimed directly at Valkyries forward Aminata Gueye, who had guarded Reese throughout the series.

However, the momentum shifted over the remainder of the series.

Reese was held to 15 points or fewer in each of the final four games.

Golden State rallied to win Game 7 and claim the WNBA championship.

PARADE TROLLING AND SCRUTINY

The championship celebration in San Francisco quickly brought renewed attention to Reese's taunt.

Thousands of fans lined the Embarcadero in San Francisco to cheer the Valkyries following a ferry ride across the bay.

During the parade, Valkyries staff members were seen wearing shirts featuring Reese's face morphed onto the crying Michael Jordan meme alongside her "too small" hand gesture.

Fans also circulated photos of pink pacifiers distributed during the parade with tags reading, "if found return to: ATL."

Players joined in the reaction, as Gueye posted a photo of Reese's hand gesture on Instagram after Game 7, and Tiffany Hayes mocked the taunt on an Instagram Live stream.