Courtesy of LSU Athletics
BALTIMORE — Angel Reese is poised to make a return to her hometown of Baltimore on Wednesday when No. 7 LSU faces HBCU Coppin State at 5 p.m. CT in the PEC Arena in a game that is expected to be a sellout.
The game will stream on ESPN+ with Kyle Borg and Audra Smith. Patrick Wright and Emily Ward will call the action on the LSU Sports Radio Network, 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge.
For Reese, who was named the Sporting News Athlete of the Year earlier Tuesday, it will be her first game back in Maryland in over 660 days.
“Everybody is going to come out,” Reese said. “I don’t know who they are going to be cheering for, Coppin or LSU. Just being able to see so many people in the community and come out to see LSU; I’ve done a lot for Baltimore and me coming back is going to be a big thing.”
Reese, who played high school basketball at St. Frances Academy, wears the pride of being from Baltimore on her sleeve. After she was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 Final Four, Reese threw out the first pitch at a Baltimore Orioles game, was gifted a key to the city of Baltimore by Mayor Brandon Scott, and saw Angel Reese Court unveiled in the city. Her No. 10 jersey is retired at St. Frances Academy where she played in high school.
“Being able to go back home and play in front of (my grandparents) is something that is important to me,” Reese said. “To play in front of a lot of people who have supported me in my career, that’s important to me.”
Wednesday’s game will mark the first time in at least the last 10 years that an HBCU campus will host the reigning Division I nation champion in a true road game. It will be the third straight year for Coppin State to host a high-major team. When Reese was a sophomore at Maryland she played at HBCU Coppin State, notching a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Reese will be in search of her 40th double-double in an LSU uniform on Wednesday. Fellow post Aneesah Morrow just notched her 60th career double-double on Sunday night in LSU’s win over Northwestern State. Reese has 57 double-doubles in her college career.
The Tigers have now won 11 games in a row. Wednesday will be their final game before the holiday break. LSU will have one more non-conference game on December 30 against Jacksonville before beginning SEC play.