The Reveille 3-07-24

How Angel Reese transformed LSU.

ETCHING HER NAME

The story of Angel Reese and her impact on LSU women’s basketball

BY TYLER HARDEN @tjharden8

Angel Reese walked down the purple carpet alongside her family and Shaquille O’Neal for Senior Day on Sunday. The group then met Kim Mulkey at center court where they posed for a picture.

The Pete Maravich Assembly Center crowd was in an uproar shortly after, chanting “One more year,” hoping for Reese to stay in an LSU uniform for another season.

From her “Bayou Barbie” nickname, to the crown placed on her head after she’s announced in the starting lineup at home games, she’s captured the attention of LSU fans. Senior Day was a representation of that.

“It’s been a long four years. It’s been crazy,” Reese said. “Being able to extend my career and have a great time here, it’s been crazy and amazing.”

Reese arrived at LSU from the University of Maryland for the start of the 2022-23 season. In her two seasons at Maryland, she averaged 13.9 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. She led the Terrapins to a Sweet 16 in her second season, at the end of which she was named an All-American and allconference player.

Reese was used to seeing her name in the record books before LSU, as she became the first Maryland sophomore to average a double-double since 1975.

After the 2021-’22 season, Reese hit the transfer portal, and she quickly became the top player available. She was recruited by top programs like South Carolina and Tennessee, but she landed at LSU, choosing to play for Kim Mulkey.

Reese came to LSU with high expectations. LSU fans hoped the team would make it past the Round of 32, showing the progress of the program. But she exceeded them, so much so that she finished her first season at LSU with a national championship trophy in her hands.

Reese etched her name into campus history books in her first season at LSU.

She recorded a double-double in all but two games, and she led the Southeastern Conference in both scoring and rebounding, becoming the fifth player to lead the conference in both categories.

She set an NCAA record with 34 double-doubles, and she broke the school record for most consecutive double-doubles. The record was previously held by Sylvia Fowles, who went on to have a 15-year career in the WNBA.

Reese’s career exploded on the court, but it exploded off the court as well. She arrived at LSU with about 70,000 Instagram followers. Following the team’s National Championship season, including a record-breaking viewing audience for a collegiate women’s basketball game of 9.9 million people, her following grew to over a million people.

“Times are different now. What we are witnessing with these fans not just in the PMAC, but on the road, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Mulkey said. “And this isn’t my first rodeo. I won three championships at Baylor. I’ve had a 40-0 team. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Reese became a public spectacle following the national championship. Between waving her hand to her face towards Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, to pointing to her ring finger, where her championship ring would soon be placed, Reese became a polarizing figure in the college basketball world.

Some criticized Reese for her antics during the game, but LSU fans continued to embrace the growing superstar.

Reese was copying a gesture done by Clark in Iowa’s win over Louisville, but the national spotlight shined bright on Reese following the national championship.

With the increased attention, her following and brand grew tremendously.

With laws approving Name, Image and Likeness deals for college athletes, Reese’s following became a big deal. Her offseason following the national championship reflected the changes social media brought to her life.

After winning a title, Reese signed an NIL deal with MercedesBenz of Baton Rouge, which landed her a new car. She appeared in Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition and an Amazon commercial alongside Flau’jae Johnson. She even inked a multi-year contract with Reebok.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg for the changes Reese saw to her life following the season. According to On3, Reese has an NIL valuation of $1.7 million, the eighthhighest valuation in all of college athletics.

As her second season at LSU got closer, the Tigers landed two of the top transfers in the country in Louisville guard Hailey Van Lith, and DePaul forward Aneesah Morrow.

With these two newcomers, a No. 1 ranked freshman class and returners in Reese, Johnson and Sa’Myah Smith, the expectation of repeating a national championship season was not just an expectation, but practically a standard.

Despite losing the season opener to Colorado, Reese’s season was off to a smooth start before she missed four games following the team’s win over Kent State. Once again, Reese was a prominent name in the media.

The reason for Reese’s absence is uncertain, as Mulkey said it was an “internal team matter that was unnecessary to publicize.” The uncertainty brought speculation toward Reese, but since the National Championship, Reese has become accustomed to criticism.

“I want people to realize that I’m not just an athlete, I’m a person, too,” Reese said. “When you’re up, everybody loves you. When you’re down, you’re going to see who really loves you.”

Reese returned to the court for the team’s top-10 matchup against Virginia Tech, where LSU won 8264. Reese recorded 19 points along with nine rebounds.

About a month later, LSU went on the road and flew up to Baltimore, Maryland — Reese’s hometown — to take on Coppin State. Reese’s homecoming was loudly heard, as it resulted in the first sellout for a Coppin State sporting event at the Physical Education Complex Arena.

Since then, the Tigers have lost three games in SEC play, two of which came to unranked opponents on the road. Some LSU fans became discouraged, but Reese’s performance never seemed to slip.

In the season so far, Reese has averaged 19.1 points per game and 13 rebounds per game, the second most rebounds in the country.

The Tigers have won their last eight games, including a win over Auburn, who beat LSU early in conference play. Reese shined brightest in that game with 25 points and 20 rebounds — arguably her best all-around game of the season.

Although she celebrated Senior Day to close out the regular season, Reese has a year of eligibility left, allowing her to return next season. However, she hasn’t made a decision on whether or not she will return to LSU or go professional. Reese is projected to be a top-10 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft.

LSU fans won’t get a decision from Reese anytime soon, or at least until LSU’s season comes to an end.

Wherever Reese plays basketball next season, her time at LSU has allowed her to succeed at a high level and learn a lot while doing it. Along the way, Reese has remained true to herself, and she’s thankful that she did.

“I hope [fans look to me] as someone who was just unapologetically herself,” Reese said. “Coming in every day being happy, work hard and doing whatever it takes to win, I feel like I made a lot of sacrifices coming here. Not really knowing what it was going to be and taking that step of faith.”

“Look how my life has changed in a year-and-a-half, it’s crazy,” she said.

Crazy and amazing are two words Reese uses to describe her time at LSU. It’s a story still being written, and fans may be able to see another chapter of Reese in Baton Rouge.

But if not, her presence in women’s college basketball has changed the game forever, as one of the pioneers who helped pave the road for others to continue to change it.

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille LSU women’s basketball junior forward Angel Reese (10) puts on a crown Jan. 25 prior to LSU’s 76-70 loss against South Carolina in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

NEWS PRE-K SHIFT

Far-right activists push changes to Louisiana’s early childhood education

BY GREG LAROSE Louisiana Illuminator

An ultra-conservative movement is close to adding Louisiana to its list of states where early childhood education standards have been updated to remove what it views as policy that further indoctrinates children in viewpoints it opposes.

A Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) committee approved the early childhood policy revisions Tuesday without discussion after hearing from supporters and opponents of the changes. The update, which has the backing of an organization some consider extreme, is likely to gain approval at BESE’s meeting Wednesday.

BESE has eight new members who took their seats in January. Republicans now dominate the 11-member body, which includes three members chosen by the governor and eight district representatives who are elected.

Their anticipated vote to adopt far-right childhood education standards will likely be the first of many, and it has the blessing of GOP Gov. Jeff

POLITICS

Landry, who has touted parental rights, school choice and other conservative stances in his education platform. The changes target an em-

phasis on social and emotional learning, or SEL, in early childhood education, which covers children from birth through age 4. Its elements cover how chil-

dren learn about themselves and relate with others, which critics say serve as a gateway for

LGBTQ+ book bus in Baton Rouge

BY COURTNEY BELL @courtebell09

The wheels on this bus go ‘round and ‘round. A mobile library called the Rainbow Book Bus will stop in Baton Rouge March 12, to donate books about the LGBTQ+ community.

The Rainbow Book Bus is a mobile library working to achieve educational freedom for youth by opposing censorship of LGTBQ+ literature and promoting literacy. The bus donates books that have been targeted by anti-LGBTQ+ bans.

According to the Rainbow Book Bus’ website, “The Rainbow Book Bus aims to promote and protect access to representative books and media for queer communities and anyone impacted by anti-inclusive legislation.”

The bus will stop at the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge’s parking lot from 4-6 p.m. on March 12.

At LSU, some students are

New legislation could threaten LGBTQ+ rights in schools

BY ASHLYNN BAILLIO @ashlynnbaillio

Louisiana lawmakers have introduced two bills that could significantly impact LGBTQ+ students and educators in the state.

The new bills have sparked concerns among LGBTQ+ community members and advocates, who fear the potential consequences if the bills become law.

Both bills were introduced on Feb. 22 in preparation for March’s legislative session, which will begin on Monday and end on June 3.

The first bill, House Bill 121, was proposed by Rep. Raymond Crews, R-District 8, and the second, House bill 122 was authored by Rep. Dodie Horton, R-District 9.

The first bill would require parents’ permission for students to change the names or pronouns they use in school.

The bill specifies that school employees must use the name and pronouns listed on a student’s birth certificate unless the parents grant written permission.

Additionally, the bill allows parents to request a transfer to another teacher if a teacher ob -

jects to using a pronoun for a student based on religious or moral convictions.

The other bill, House Bill 122 focuses on restricting discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. It prohibits teachers and school personnel from discussing their sexual orientation or gender identity with students.

This bill raises concerns about the impact on LGBTQ+ educators and the representation of LGBTQ+ historical figures and issues in the curriculum.

“Legislation like this means that heterosexual teachers will continue to use their own families and lived experiences to illustrate concepts and to relate to students,” said LSU political science professor Belinda Davis. “Homosexual teachers will not be able to do so because they will fear reprisal.”

Two similar pieces of legislation were passed last year but were vetoed by then-Gov. John Bel Edwards.

These bills also reflect a broader national trend. According to a report by the Movement Advancement Project, several

BATON

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

The hall lights and HEPA filter illuminate Room 136 on Oct. 19, 2021, inside LSU’s Lockett Hall in Baton Rouge, La.

BOOK BUS, from page 3

keen to herald the Rainbow Book Bus’ arrival.

Annie Sheehan-Dean, a history, political science, and women’s, gender and sexuality senior, is the chair of LSU Student Government’s LGBTQ+ Caucus, which was reformed in December 2023 after having been previously disbanded.

Sheehan-Dean said the caucus is supporting and promoting the Rainbow Book Bus’ stop in Baton Rouge.

“I’m hoping that the goal of the Rainbow Book Bus will be accomplished,” Sheehan-Dean said. “Especially with their emphasis on queer youth, that there will be a good turnout of queer youth, and that individuals will feel safe and secure and proud to be who they are, and to discuss who they are and educate themselves about their identities and their experiences.”

In Louisiana, gender identity, sexual orientation and other LGBTQ+ issues have been political targets.

In June, the Louisiana Legislature passed a bill that would prohibit discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in public

schools

Former Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed that bill, and when lawmakers didn’t move to override the veto, it died in the Legislature.

LGBTQ+ activists have predicted a similar bill will be proposed in the next legislative session.

The Book Bus, a 22-foot-long school bus that has been painted with rainbow colors and adorned with portraits of LGBTQ+ icons, such as Audre Lorde and Harvey Milk, houses a rainbow-themed library. The craft made its debut at Los Angeles’ 2023 Pride Parade.

The bus was created by a partnership between Allstora, an independent bookstore co-founded by author and LGBTQ+ advocate Eric Cervini, drag performer and actor Adam Powell, television icon and author RuPaul, and nonprofit organization wayOUT, which supports LGBTQ+ youth programs across the country.

This is the bus’ first tour, and it will stop in cities throughout the South—including Atlanta, Birmingham and Memphis—to donate books.

On its tour, the bus will drive about 5,000 miles and donate over 10,000 books, according to the Rainbow Book Bus website.

The bus will also partner with local organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community, including Youth Oasis, a group that aids homeless youth in Baton Rouge. Many who Youth Oasis assists identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community.

“Today, Youth Oasis remains true to its foundation of breaking the cycle of homelessness in our community and state by operating the foster youth shelter, transitional living center, and Diversity House,” Youth Oasis’ website reads.

While the Bus is at the Unitarian Church of Baton Rouge, there will be poetry readings, an openmic section and a resource fair with information on healthcare for the LGBTQ+ community. People of all identities are invited to attend the event and get a book.

“I think sometimes, especially when you have a marginalized identity such as being queer, where it feels increasingly dangerous to be a publicly-out queer person, it’s hard to kind of know where your community is, who your community is and things of that nature,” Sheehan-Dean said. “So, I’m hoping that this will kind of serve as an event to really foster community.”

topics such as racial justice, social justice and equity.

Paige Lowry, education advocate for the Baton Rouge chapter of Moms for Liberty, spoke to BESE members in support of removing SEL standards from state early education policy. The following of such standards “fuses politics” with education and results in young children being “psychologically programmed to be agents of change,” she said.

Moms for Liberty members have converged on school board meetings throughout the country in recent years to move public education policy to the far right. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups, considers Moms for Lib -

erty an “extremist” group for its support of book bans and opposition to LGBTQ+ and racially inclusive education.

To support her case, Lowry read a letter to the board from education policy analyst Carole Haynes, which referenced white children being made to feel guilty through SEL and lessons that embrace radical LGBTQ+ philosophy.

Haynes has referred to SEL as “the vehicle being used to implement critical race theory into schools.”

A frequent target of conservatives, critical race theory (CRT) views racism and racial bias in terms of their impact on society, laws and other institutions. Critical race theory is not a subject taught in early education or K-12 classes, but its crit-

LGBTQ+, from page 3

states have enacted laws that restrict discussions of LGBTQ+ issues in schools.

These laws, often referred to as “Don’t Say Gay” laws, aim to limit or prohibit the inclusion of LGBTQ-related topics in educational settings.

According to the report, seven states have implemented such laws, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky and North Carolina. These laws have raised concerns about the erasure of LGBTQ identities and history from educational materials, impacting the inclusivity and representation of LGBTQ individuals in schools.

“The most important voice in a child’s education should be that of their parents,” Gov. Jeff Landry said in his inaugural address.

This sentiment aligns with the intent of one of the proposed bills, which seeks to re -

quire parental permission for students to change their names or pronouns in school.

Critics argue that such laws could not only stifle academic freedom but also perpetuate a narrow understanding of history and human experiences, ultimately impacting students’ educational development and social awareness.

“I think it makes it more difficult for kids to accept themselves,” said Gabrielle Coleman, an English senior. Limiting the discussion of LGBTQ+ topics in schools could hinder LGBTQ+ students’ journey to self-acceptance.

The bill would impact education in Louisiana in a myriad of ways.

Davis proposed one example, among others:

“How do you discuss the Women’s Suffrage Movement without discussing marriage as being between a man and woman? This bill technically makes that illegal,” Davis said.

ics have fought to keep it from being applied to topics such as history. Without taking race into consideration, CRT proponents have said American history is being white-washed to gloss over unsavory aspects such as slavery and its vestigial Jim Crow laws.

BESE members approved replacing SEL references in the state’s early education standards with “interpersonal skills,” which opponents of the changes said is too vague of a term. In general, such skills include verbal communication, active listening and problem-solving.

Derrick Toups teaches childhood development at Louisiana community colleges and served on the panel that recommended the standards to BESE. In a letter to board members, he said

the research-based SEL guidelines are not “‘bad for children’ as fomented by Moms for Liberty and other opponents of the standards…”

In an email exchange with the Illuminator, Toups said social and emotional development in the classroom might involve “a teacher reading a book such as ‘My Many Colored Days’ by Dr. Seuss to help children learn the names of different emotions such as anger, happiness, frustration or excitement. Teachers will also help children resolve disagreements by modeling conflict resolution language or help a child calm down after getting angry by giving them space to take deep breaths, stomp their feet or explain why they are upset,” he added.

“Removing or weakening so -

cial and emotional development from these standards would be akin to removing a leg from your dining room table, and Louisiana’s children deserve to be nourished at the table, not from the floor,” Toups said.

Belinda Davis was an appointee of former Gov. John Bel Edwards when BESE adopted the social and emotional learning components as part of its early childhood education principles. She appeared before the board Tuesday to oppose the changes, noting the standards put in place just last fall were developed by a group of experts based on nationally recognized best practices.

The far-right has a skewed take on SEL, Davis said, and it is “now some boogeyman attempting to indoctrinate our kids.”

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille Books fill the shelves on March 5 in the LSU Library in Baton Rouge, La.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille Gov.-elect Jeff Landry and his wife Sharon Landry walk down the Capitol steps Jan. 7 during the inauguration ceremony the day prior to his officially becoming governor.

EDUCATION, from page 3

ENTERTAINMENT

BY CATE EMMA WARREN @cateemmawarren

From the twinkling lights hung overhead, to the live jazz music filling the Hopkins Black Box Theater, “Yearning” truly takes viewers back to the 1920s.

“Yearning” is a play with an original script written and adapted by director and LSU graduate student Seth Knievel, based on the novel “The Great Gatsby.” Knievel’s show ran from Feb. 28 to March 3. Knievel first became familiar with “The Great Gatsby” in high school, when he felt a personal connection to Gatsby through the shared experience of repressed identity.

“I really identified with the book because, essentially, Gatsby is upset because tradition and social norms are getting in the way of him having a fulfilling romantic life,” Knievel said. “As a closeted gay man, I felt the same way because this tradition of heteronormativity and a prejudice toward queer people is what was stopping me from coming out and having a fulfilling romantic life.”

Knievel chose to set the show in 1920s New Orleans and to centralize the story on women, moving away from the misogyny and homophobia in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s writing.

“One of the limitations of Gatsby and Fitzgerald’s work at large is that Fitzgerald was a virulent misogynist,” Knievel said. “I’ve read some of his letters, where he openly talks about how women are dull and how you couldn’t have a lead character as a woman because it wouldn’t read. I knew that I wanted to center women in the story.”

He said the decision to set the play in New Orleans was not only because of the city’s significance to Jazz, but also because of the religious connotations the Deep South holds.

“This show is about the reli-

‘YEARNING’

The importance of sapphic representation in theatre

gious rhetoric, which has been used as a weapon against queer people. The place where I see that happening most frequently is in the Deep South,” Kneievel said. “I wanted to put it in the Deep South to specifically call out the religious prejudice that seems to be festering here.”

The show changed the gender of many of the original characters, including the namesake, traditionally Jay Gatsby, who was altered to Jane. Leadership and human resource development junior Ava Russell played the role of Jane Gatsby in the show.

“Gatsby is such a confident character, and I’m more of a fake it ‘til you make it kind of person,” Russell said. “I really, really loved getting to know

how to embody that confidence on stage. She taught me a lot.”

Russell emphasized the importance of depicting queer characters in a respectful and accurate manner. She also highlighted the challenges faced by queer individuals in the 1920s.

“At first, I kind of just described (the show) as a gender bent adaptation of ‘The Great Gatsby.’ This is so much more than that. It’s representation,” Russell said.

Working on the show was a collaborative effort between Knievel, his assistant director Krysta Overton and the cast and crew. Sophie Rollins, anthropology junior, portrayed the older Nick Carraway in the show, also known as the narrator.

“I’ve done a good bit of theater in the past, but one thing that really stood out to me was how [Knievel] was treating us as peers,” Rollins said. “When he gave us the script, he made sure to tell us, ‘If you need anything changed, let me know.’”

Rollins wanted to ensure that while the play called out homophobia in the religious community, it also didn’t alientate those who are religious and LGBTQ+ allies.

“What I wanted to do was make sure we weren’t perpetuating an unnecessary dichotomy that alienates Christian allies and Christian LGBT people,” Rollins said. “We ended up together developing this narrative of, not every Christian is homophobic, but almost every queer person has suffered at the hands of religious hate. Which is an important distinction to make because you can be faithful and queer, and your

relationship with religion and queerness doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive.”

Greyson Thompson, archaeology senior, was the prop master and in the ensemble for the show. Thompson personally connected to the show as a queer person and highlighted the importance of representation and inclusivity in society.

“Queer people have been around forever, especially in the ‘20s,” Thompson said. “To have a story that is as iconic and well known as ‘The Great Gatsby’ just in symbolism and iconography, then be told retold through a queer lens is really important to reframe history and tell the stories of queer people that didn’t get to be told.”

Thompson said queer people being able to replace themselves in history where their history has been erased is extremely important.

“Seth putting on this show has been really important and I hope it’s the start of a trend of more queer history is being told,” Thompson said.

Knievel believes art is a reflection of reality, and that engaging with queer stories can offer insight into the experiences of queer people, even if the reader or viewer isn’t queer themselves.

“Telling queer stories where queer people are celebrated is important, because there are people in the closet who need those stories,” he said. “There are people out of the closet who need those stories too. Seeing how other queer people respond to things is so useful, because many times the only examples that we have are for straight people.”

Knievel said it’s important to not let stories of queer people be scrubbed or erased from our reality

“When you put on a story that people are very familiar with, and you make those characters queer, they already know the story so, it allows them to focus a little bit more on the queerness of the character, which I think is the point,” he said.

After the show, there was a 20-minute question and answer session with the cast and crew. They discussed the labor of love that went into the performance and how the show helped them understand the story better. Some also shared their experiences of coming out to their families and friends and emphasized the importance of surrounding oneself with understanding people.

Horticulture junior Cameron Beall portrayed the role of Tom Buchanan in the show. He said that there is a uniqueness in working in a different performance space like the Black Box.

“The intimacy of this space, whether in size, or whether with the people that you share this space with while we’re on stage, also translated into the intimacy that ended up turning into some of the most lifelong friendships,” Beall said. “I’ve done theater for years, and I’ve never done something that was so in your face as this. I’ve never been under the sturdy hand of somebody who was so collaborative. And I think that’s the beauty of this space. It’s not just a Black Box. It’s a canvas where people can come together and love, express their love and put on a damn good story.”

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

Jane Gatsby (Ava Russell) and Daisy Buchanan (Elyse Nave) kiss in a production of Yearning March 3 in Coates Hall

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille Jane Gatsby (Ava Russell) and Daisy Buchanan (Elyse Nave) look into the green light in a production of Yearning March 3 in Coates Hall.

A SENIOR SEND OFF A SENIOR SEND OFF

Fans gathered outside the PMAC to send off the LSU women’s basketball team as they head to the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina.

The LSU women’s basketball team stands on the stage.

LSU women’s basketball sophomore forward Sa’Myah Smith speaks about her role on the team.

LSU women’s basketball sophomore guard Flau’jae Johnson speaks to the crowd.

LSU women’s basketball graduate student guard Hailey Van Lith smiles.

LSU women’s basketball junior guard Aneesah Morrow laughs.

LSU women’s basketball freshman center Aaliyah Del Rosario, freshman guard Mikaylah Williams and junior guard Aneesah Morrow laugh.

Photos by Reagan Cotten

SPORTS PACKING THE PMAC

How LSU gymnastics plays a role in attendance for women’s sports

BY AVA HEBERT @avahebe4

It’s no secret that women are underrepresented in sports.

Out of the 65 athletic director positions in Power 5 schools, five are held by women.

In the Southeastern Conference, there’s only one.

Vanderbilt University Athletic Director Candice Storey Lee helped pave the way for change. Along with Lee, women have taken more jobs in the sports field and proven their ability to dominate.

In recent years, the news media and sports industry has become more accepting toward women. Once the realization that women can put on a performance equivalent to men set in, it opened a whole new world of entertainment in sports.

Last year continued to be a record-breaking year.

Women’s basketball became a prime example of this, as the LSU-Iowa championship reached a record 9.9 million viewers.

After the championship win, LSU’s Kim Mulkey signed a contract for over $3 million per year, making her the highest-paid coach in women’s college basketball.

Nebraska’s volleyball team broke more boundaries when they hosted an outdoor volley-

MEN’S BASKETBALL

ball match with an attendance record of 92,003. The crowd was the largest to watch a women’s sporting event in U.S. history.

LSU’s gymnastics team decided it wanted to take part in the revolution, too.

The 2024 squad brought a new connotation to the word “elite.” Ranked No. 2, the Tigers are on track to be finalists in the 2024 National Championship.

They took the program to new heights, continuously breaking records at home and

on the road.

Their ability to put on a show is attracting fans from every age group.

The Tigers had over 12,000 attendees at every home meet this season. This is unique to LSU’s iconic brand, as the highest attendance for teams they’ve played away is 9,811.

On Feb. 16, the Tigers sold out the PMAC for the first time this season. Surprisingly, they did it again in their meet against Alabama.

Why is this shocking? The meet was at 5 p.m.

“It was concerning to me because I was worried half the place would be empty,” head coach Jay Clark said. “It wasn’t. That’s a testament to our fans.”

The Tiger fans’ dedication to supporting LSU’s squad has undoubtedly helped their success throughout the years.

They know that when they show up for a meet, quality en-

see ATTENDANCE, page 10

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

How LSU stacks up in SEC tournament

BY TRE ALLEN @treday0314

The postseason has begun for LSU women’s basketball as the Tigers have claimed the No. 2 seed in the Southeastern Conference Tournament and will have a double bye.

As it is for any team, the Tigers have their eyes set on a conference tournament title and are looking to bring one home for the first time since 2003. However, it won’t be easy as they have some formidable foes in the tournament as well.

Alongside LSU, three other teams got double-byes, including South Carolina as the 1-seed, Ole Miss as the 3-seed and Alabama as the 4-seed. To get to the title game LSU will have to potentially go through two of those teams to get there.

South Carolina

The first team is the South Carolina Gamecocks. After another undefeated season, they are the favorites once again to win the national title.

With the amount of talent and scoring ability on their team, it comes as no surprise. There have only been two teams to keep

see TOURNAMENT, page 10

How Trae Hannibal has stabilized LSU men’s basketball

BY PETER RAUTERKUS @peter_rauterkus

LSU men’s basketball was in a funk.

The Tigers had lost three straight and were going into another tough matchup against No. 11 South Carolina. Not only were they losing, but oftentimes they were making big comebacks, only to fall short in the final minutes of the game.

But without its point guard and top scorer, Jalen Cook, LSU beat two consecutive ranked opponents and won four of its next five. It wasn’t the first time the Tigers had to play without Cook, as he missed the first 10 games of the season due to ineligibility as a two-time transfer.

This time however, head coach Matt McMahon opted to have veteran guard Trae Hannibal fill the point guard role. Hannibal had already started three games with Cook still playing, but with Cook out, it meant his minutes would increase dramatically.

That didn’t phase the fifth-year

senior, though. In the Southeastern Conference games Cook has missed, Hannibal is averaging 33.5 minutes per game, and has been a lifeline for the Tigers at point guard. He has 29 assists compared to 13 turn-

overs in that span, with seven of those turnovers coming against Mississippi State.

“Great credit to him. He’s really grown and developed as a point guard this year,” McMahon said of Hannibal. “His decision mak-

ing and his ability to get everyone involved in the offense has really been done at an elite level over the last two months.”

Hannibal is an unconventional point guard in today’s game. He averages 5.6 points per game and

has only attempted seven 3-pointers all season. A true pass-first point, he doesn’t take very many shots, but that doesn’t mean he can’t cause trouble for opposing defenses.

Standing at 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 221 pounds, he causes defenses the most trouble when he’s attacking downhill, either using his strength and speed to finish at the rim or drawing defenders in to kick the ball out and find an open shooter.

“He’s so smart and so savvy,” LSU guard Jordan Wright said. “He uses his size well just to get penetration and then making the extra reads.”

His physicality makes him a tough matchup for most guards, and few players embrace the task of being in the paint when Hannibal has a head of stem.

His strength also makes him a threat on the glass. Hannibal is averaging 7.8 rebounds over the last five games, despite often being the

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

LSU gymnastics all-around junior Aleah Finnegan points into the crowd on March 1 before LSU’s 198.325197.325 win against Alabama in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

LSU men’s basketball fifth-year senior guard Trae Hannibal (0) high fives teammates on Feb. 27 before LSU’s 67-66 win against Georgia in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

HANNIBAL, from page 9

shortest player on the court. That has been especially important in SEC play, where LSU has struggled at times on the defensive glass.

The fire Hannibal plays with comes from how he grew up in basketball. Often playing with older kids throughout his childhood, asserting himself and playing hard was a requirement to hang with the older and bigger kids.

“It was either you play hard or you get off the court and you can’t play,” Hannibal said. “At the end of the day, it’s a man’s game no matter what your age is.”

Those qualities were what attracted McMahon to Hannibal while he was the head coach at Murray State. In Hannibal’s one season at Murray State, he played a role similar to the role he plays at LSU.

He averaged 9.2 points in 22 minutes per game, along with 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists. His contributions helped lead Murray State to a 31-3 record that season, and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.

His toughness, explosiveness and physicality were a few of the traits that impressed McMahon early on, and those have stuck

TOURNAMENT, from page 9

it within single digits with the Gamecocks this season, North Carolina and LSU.

In what was considered the game of the year, South Carolina took down LSU 76-70 in a hardfought win, despite trailing as much as 11 in the first quarter.

It’s a game that LSU wishes it could have back. Tough shots made by Bree Hall and Raven Johnson down the stretch allowed South Carolina to pull away. Angel Reese also fouled out for the Tigers late in the fourth quarter which played a big role.

If these two meet up again it could be another close game as these teams have the most talented lineups in the country and rank inside the top three for points per game. The only possibility for these two to play would be in the title game.

The Tigers will need to stay out of foul trouble and can’t lose

with him during his time at LSU.

“Trae is a tank,” LSU center Will Baker said. “He works harder than anyone out there.”

His tenacity embodies the spirit that McMahon claims to be the reason behind the Tigers’ recent success. A team’s point guard is often its leader on the court, and Hannibal has played that role with his ability to do many different things for the team.

“It’s no surprise to us, but I think he’s definitely slowed the game down and really embraced being a point guard and being the leader of this team,” Wright said.

Hannibal is now only guaranteed three more games in his college career as LSU prepares for its final two games of the regular season, followed by the SEC Tournament.

Though he and the rest of the team maintained that their focus remains on the games ahead, Hannibal reflected on how proud he is to be a part of the rebuild and how far this team and the program has come.

“To go from being predicted 13th in the conference, there’s still a lot of basketball left to be played, so at the end of the day you’ve got to be proud of what’s going on, but you can’t be satisfied,” he said.

anybody in the game again as they did in the first matchup. Their defense has been the story for a lot of the season and it has gotten better over time but they have to be focused and communicate.

There were times in the game when South Carolina players had wide-open opportunities due to the lack of discipline from the Tigers. They will also need to create better shots for one another.

Mikalyah Williams is one of the most talented freshmen in the country, but she struggled against the Gamecocks. A lot of that had to do with the shot selection she had. There will be growing pains with freshmen, but if they play again you can’t afford 1-for-10 3-point shooting and need to realize which shots should and shouldn’t be taken.

Ole Miss

Ole Miss and LSU faced off earlier in the season with the Tigers winning 84-73. It was an allaround victory as the Tigers had

ATTENDANCE, from page 9

tertainment is guaranteed, which coincides with the fact that LSU is consistent.

At the core of its team is senior Haleigh Bryant.

Bryant is the first gymnast in LSU history to record a gym slam, scoring 10s in all four events. In her four years as a Tiger, Bryant has posted 14 perfect scores, and her career isn’t over yet.

“I just do it for my team,” Bryant said. “They’re absolutely everything to me.”

The rest of the Tiger squad doesn’t disappoint either.

Graduate student Kiya Johnson is a consistent all-arounder for the Tigers, producing a few perfect scores herself.

LSU’s floor, beam and vault lineups also see Olympic qualifier Aleah Finnegan, who recently scored back-to-back 10s on the floor.

And it’s hard to forget the freshmen dynamic duo of Konnor McClain and Amari Drayton. The two have been nothing short of excellent, showcasing their wide range of skills and electric personalities.

LSU’s dedication to empowering women has shined a new

all starters over 10 points with Angel Reese being the catalyst with 21 points.

Although it seemed like the Tigers took care of business, they only had a five-point lead heading into the fourth quarter as Ole Miss rallied in the third and even took the lead at one point.

Ole Miss is a sneaky team. Defensively it’s one of the best in the SEC as the Rebels allow the third least points and fourth lowest opponent field goal percentage in the conference.

They are second in the conference in blocks per game, behind only South Carolina. On offense, however, they struggle, only shooting 41% from the field and 26% from three.

In the first matchup, LSU was able to score efficiently shooting 47% from the field and 61% from three. Ole Miss was able to stay

The LSU student section is bathed in purple light on March 1 during LSU’s 198.325-197.325 win over Alabama at the PMAC in Baton Rouge, La.

light on its program.

In a video before every meet, media superstar Olivia Dunne emphasizes the importance of shattering limitations as a female.

“I just want to be a role model to young girls,” Dunne said in an interview with Vuori. “I want to set a good example, and I want to send out a message that we’re

in the game through defense, forcing missed shots and getting to the free-throw line to slow the game down.

Because of their offensive deficits, the Rebels want teams to play at their pace. LSU needs to play fast-tempo basketball as it has been doing all season to keep Ole Miss on its heels. If LSU and Ole Miss both win their first game of the tournament, they could match up for their second game of the tournament Alabama

With a 23-8 record, Alabama locked up the 4-seed. Alabama is led by senior guard Sarah Ashlee Barker, who is averaging 17.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. She ranks No. 5 in the SEC for points per game and No. 4 for field goal percentage. She also shoots 50% from the field and 36% from three. When LSU

more than just our sport.”

With Dunne’s activism and Bryant’s success, the Tiger squad has done its part to strengthen the bonds of women in sports.

At the rate that it’s going, attendance records and empowerment won’t be the only thing that LSU claims for its 2024 season.

Perhaps it’ll grab its first national championship, too.

played the Crimson Tide, it looked dominant in both victories, defeating them by 19 and 20 points.

The defense from the Tigers wreaked havoc for Alabama as they forced 19 turnovers in their first match then 17 turnovers in their second. They also forced Alabama into a lot of bad shots.

In the two games they played LSU, they shot a combined 32% from the field and 31% from three. They held Barker in check for both games as she only averaged 9.5 points while shooting 42% percent from the field.

This seems to be LSU’s most favorable matchup out of the top four teams as they showed in both games that it can be dominant against the Crimson Tide. If they were to meet, it would be in the conference championship, which LSU would likely be the favorite to win again.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille

LSU women’s basketball junior forward Angel Reese (10) tips off on March 3 during LSU’s 77-56 win against Kentucky at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, La.

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille LSU women’s basketball junior forward Angel Reese (10) tips off March 3 during LSU’s 77-56 win against Kentucky at the PMAC.

Does Louisiana need a heavy-handed approach to crime?

NATE’S TAKES

NATHANIEL DELA PEÑA @NateDerDoner

The headlines surrounding the crime special session are mind boggling. One headline from the Louisiana Illuminator says, “Parole for nearly all Louisiana prisoners close to extinction” and another from The Advocate says “What is permitless carry?

Louisiana residents could soon carry concealed guns without training.”

It doesn’t take much to see that the Legislature isn’t putting “victims first,” but instead making more victims in this state. What happens when you give incarcerated people no incentive to maintain good behavior in prisons?

Louisiana already has a stringent parole board that judges those eligible for parole on their ability to successfully reintegrate

into society. Is eliminating parole (for everyone except certain juveniles) an effective response to “increasing crime?”

And on the issue of concealed permitless carry, does this law make it easier for police officers to intervene in high-risk situations when one person is possibly carrying a gun? Does it make their job easier? Is every bystander with a gun a good actor?

The answer to these questions, of course, is a resounding no.

One mistake shouldn’t define the lives of parolees who’ve jumped through every hoop imaginable to redeem themselves in the eyes of society. As a person of faith, it’s disappointing that we can pray and ask for forgiveness from God yet refuse to do our duty to forgive others once they demonstrate a wholehearted intent to right their wrongs.

One can’t assume every gun owner is responsible and the po -

lice in this state will have to take that into account once permitless concealed carry is the law of the land.

These are just two of the major judicial overhauls the Legislature considered during the special session. And there seems to be no optimistic conclusion to this extraordinary crime session.

The conservative voices that want to address crime are justified in calling for finding ways to reduce it, but this strict, callous approach will never be productive. And the history of the failures of our criminal justice system in this state demonstrates this.

The top voices in the Legislature failed to mention that Louisiana is arguably the incarceration capital of the world. Our heavyhanded approach before the John Bel Edwards years didn’t bear fruit.

Flozell Daniels, the chief executive of the Foundation for

Louisiana, summarized it best in an interview with The New York Times, “This argument that public safety and a diminishment of violence is somehow attached to mass incarceration falls flat. If that were the case, we’d be the safest place in the world.”

It might now be convenient to pass these laws within the Republican-dominated Legislature, but accomplishing campaign promises shouldn’t be the way we deal with crime in this state.

Popular sentiment shouldn’t triumph over the facts on the ground. Contrary to Governor Jeff Landry’s claim that crime is an ever-growing problem, across the United States and even in the Big Easy (which some legislators are afraid to go to), violent crime decreased last year.

My misgivings about the crime special session aren’t because the Legislature or Landry held a session to address it; I wholeheartedly agree that crime and Loui-

sianians’ anxiety over it can be justified.

However, where’s that same enthusiasm for improving childhood education or ensuring that Louisianians have adequate access to health care?

Don’t these issues deserve equal consideration, considering Louisiana’s abysmal education system and the constant threat of rural hospitals being closed?

This crime special session is just a political weapon that the Louisiana Republican Party wants to wield to appease its fiery base.

I can’t say I’m surprised that the Republicans held this session because it’s clear that there’s a mandate from the people of Louisiana to enact such change.

But, it’s still another step backward for a state barely treading water.

Nathaniel Dela Peña is a 21-yearold political science and history senior from Alexandria.

Apple Vision Pro and ‘Ready Player One’: Has dystopia arrived?

LARKIN APPLEBAUM @larkin_appleb

Apple unveiled the Apple Vision Pro at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and pre-orders for the device began in January. The announcement sparked new conversation among the general public, since it was the first Apple product to take a huge leap into the future in many years.

The new headset is unlike any of Apple’s current technology. The Vision Pro offers a fully immersed experience for the user. The mixed-reality headset can create the illusion of being transported to another place entirely, thanks to the sharp visuals and audios it offers.

The buzz surrounding the product died down a bit at the end of January, until it was finally released to the public on Feb. 2. Once again, the product became the topic of conversation.

People can be seen wearing the Vision Pro on the streets, in the park, on the train and nearly anywhere for that matter. After seeing the embrace of this new, futuristic technology, it can be difficult to not make compari-

sons between the Vision Pro and fictional realities where technology like it is vastly accepted.

A notable fictional reality that reflects some similarities to the new Apple product is the 2018 movie “Ready Player One.” Only one day after the Vision Pro was released, the film was added to Netflix.

“Ready Player One” is a radical take on the immersion of virtual reality into society in

the year 2045. Nearly everyone lives a large portion of their life within the headset to distract themselves from the deteriorating, gloomy and overpopulated society they live in. While reallife society hasn’t quite gotten to this point, it’s easy to spot correlations between the two.

The main character, Wade Watts, stays stationary in his home; however, he can transport from New York City to the

GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT

hotel from “The Shining,” or an electro-dance club in the sky while using the headset. The Apple Vision Pro is fully capable of executing this simulation too. Its micro-OLED display, which consists of 23 million pixels, can take the user to the middle of the desert, the top of a mountain or even to the moon.

The movie included a body suit alongside the headset to give the main character access to full-

body physical sensation on top of sight and sound. Vision Pro is limited to accommodating spatial visual and auditory aspects only.

With technological advancements always on the horizon, who’s to say Apple won’t achieve a sensation-enabled bodysuit by 2045?

The movie also shows life outside of the headset. Society within the film consists of people wearing VR headsets out in public, on sidewalks and on street corners going about their daily lives. With the introduction of Vision Pro to the public market, scenes like this are slowly becoming noticeable in the real world.

Videos of people walking around with the Vision Pro on, without any misdirection, are circulating the internet. The headset’s 3D cameras on the outside relay to the screen and give an accurate depiction of what surroundings look like in real time.

Apple Vision Pro is undeniably a huge advancement in technology that will be incorporated into everyday life. As this new product settles into current day society, a path toward the future is paved — a future that may look more and more like “Ready Player One”.