The Reveille 4-01-24

THE CONTRAST

How the lives of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark have changed

BY TYLER HARDEN @ttjharden8

When LSU won a national championship last season, Angel Reese’s life changed.

Th life of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark did , too, as women’s basketball garnered the most attention it ever has.

This was the beginning of a revolution, and the two were pioneers paving the way for the future to come.

So what’s happened since the national title game for Reese and Clark? How have their lives changed?

Well, two things have prominently brought that change:

Name, Image and Likeness and social media.

For Reese, those two things have brought change to her life in the biggest way possible since April 2023.

This offseason, the LSU star forward won an ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete and signed NIL deals with Coach, PlayStation, Reebok, Amazon and more. Her deals gave her a $1.8-million NIL valuation, according to On3.

She put a lot of that money to good use. In August 2023, Reese started the Angel Reese Foundation to give back to Baton Rouge and her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.

Reese has 5.3 million followers across Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter). On Instagram alone, she has 2.7 million followers. She arrived in Baton Rouge with just 70,000 followers, and went into the NCAA Tournament with nearly half a million.

Reese became a household name in Baton Rouge after just one season.

Clark, on the other hand, has a $3.1 million NIL valuation, according to On3, which is the largest women’s college

basketball NIL valuation in the country.

The Iowa guard has always been in the spotlight. As a freshman, she earned first-team All-America honors from The Athletic, WBCA and USBWA and second-team honors from the Associated Press.

Last season, she led the Hawkeyes to their first Final Four appearance since 1993. But Iowa fell in the national championship to LSU after knocking off top-ranked South Carolina in the Final Four.

This time around, Clark came into her senior season with more hype than she’s ever had. And that was because of the records she was within striking distance of breaking.

On Feb. 15, Clark became

the NCAA women’s basketball all-time leading scorer with a deep, 3-point shot against Michigan. Her No. 22 now lies on the spot where she shot her recordbreaking three at Iowa’s CarverHawkeye Arena.

On March 3, Clark made ultimate history.

She found herself at the foul line against No. 2 Ohio State, and sank a foul shot to become the NCAA basketball’s all-time leading scorer, both men’s and women’s.

Whose record did she break? LSU’s Pete Maravich.

Clark also broke the NCAA record for most points in a single season during the team’s Round of 32 NCAA Tournament matchup with West Virginia.

But for both players, all of the good came with some bad.

Both Reese and Clark have received criticism from the public eye. And the public may even see them as enemies.

In the national title game, Reese gave Clark a hand wave over the face gesture along with a point to her ring finger, symbolizing the championship ring she was about to win. Clark had made that same hand wave gesture earlier in the tournament.

The difference is that Clark was praised for making the gesture, and Reese was criticized. Many called Clark’s gesture “funny” and “part of competition.” But when Reese made the same gesture, people called her “classless.”

Reese took note of the criticism.

“I don’t fit in a box that y’all want me to be in. I’m too hood.

I’m too ghetto,” Reese said in a postgame press conference.

“But when other people do it, y’all say nothing. So this was for the girls that look like me, that’s going to speak up on what they believe in.”

Since the national championship, many have assumed the two now have a rivalry, and that Monday’s Elite 8 matchup may bring some vengeance.

But do they have a rivalry? They don’t seem to think so.

When Reese received an abundance of criticism after her gesture to Clark in the national championship, Clark was quick to defend her.

“I don’t think Angel should be criticized at all,” Clark said. “We’re all competitive. We all show our emotions in a different way. Angel is a tremendous, tremendous player. I have nothing but respect for her.”

In LSU’s media day in October, Reese spoke highly of Clark as well.

“Oh my gosh, I love Caitlin. We’ve been competing since we were in AAU,” Reese said. “She is a great player, shooter, person and teammate.”

So Reese and Clark may have a rivalry on the court, but off the court, they are there for each other. The rivalry on the court is a healthy one; one between fierce competitors that will do whatever it takes for their respective teams to win.

But in the big picture, Reese and Clark have a common goal, and that’s to grow women’s college

to its highest.

Reese and Clark may be on different teams on the court. But off of it, they’re on the same team, trying to win over as many people as possible to women’s college basketball.

basketball

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille

LSU women’s basketball sophomore forward Angel Reese (10) avoids her defender on April 2, 2023, during LSU’s 102-85 win against Iowa in the NCAA National Championship in the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

REAGAN COTTEN / The Reveille LSU women’s basketball sophomore forward Angel Reese (10) attempts the layup on April 2 during LSU’s 102-85 win against Iowa in the NCAA National Championship in the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas

NEWS

BILLS PASSED

Student Government passes bills for sex offender database, LGBTQ+ housing

BY GRACELYN FARRAR @gracelynfarrar

The LSU Student Senate passed a bill at its meeting Wednesday that would urge the university to create a database for convicted sex offenders enrolled or employed by LSU.

The bill’s authors, University Center for Freshman Year Sen. Chloe Berry and Undergraduate Center for Advising and Counseling Sen. Jayden Bates, said they’d spoken to the Title IX office and that they were also in support of the database’s creation. The proposed database would likely be on the myLSU website or sent out as an email.

University of Texas at Dallas operates a similar system where offenders’ names, pictures, birthdates and convicted crimes are listed.

LSU doesn’t currently hire convicted sex offenders, said Student Senate Speaker Emma Bruney, but the language in the bill includes employees in case the university ever decided to change that policy.

Sex offenders may be accepted for enrollment at LSU but are prohibited from living in residence halls.

The sex offender registry is already public information online, but the proposed list would be specific to LSU employees and students.

Another bill passed through the Senate Wednesday that would request LSU Residential Life to include questions surrounding LGBTQ+ identities for its housing portal, as well as ensuring transgender stu-

dents the right to room with their identified gender. UCFY Sen. Dylan Weinrich authored the bill.

The proposed questions would clarify applicants’ relationship with the LGBTQ+ community and if they’d be comfortable living with someone who is part of the community. So far, the LSU administration has pushed against the idea,

but the Senate hoped to bolster support by passing the bill.

Questions of gender identity and sexual orientation would be completed through self-identification. The bill doesn’t require a gender marker or any other form of proof. These questions wouldn’t be public information, but operate to connect LGBTQ+

Sexual assault survivors march

BY MADISON MARONGE @madisonmaronge

Supporters, advocates and survivors stood up for themselves, beside each other and behind a banner declaring “We Believe Survivors” in a march on LSU’s campus Tuesday.

The Believe March, put on by LSU’s Student Health Center, was dedicated to awareness and support of sexual assault survivors.

LSU’s Enchanted Forest was sprinkled with supporters dressed in white, marching in silence as a united force.

“We will walk in silence, so [survivors] don’t have to,” said Kreslyn Kelley-Ellis, program director for LSU’s Lighthouse Program, an organization that “assists student survivors of sexual assault, interpersonal violence, stalking and harassment regardless of how long ago the incident occurred,” according to its website.

With Sexual Awareness

Construction on campus: discussing the ever-present projects

BY CROSS HARRIS @thecrossharris

Widespread construction on LSU’s campus has altered the university’s landscape in recent months, causing disruption for some students and diversion for others.

For those who don’t have classes near the construction, the work is a novelty.

Finance senior Jackson Smith waits for the bus each day at a stop just opposite from the recent demolition of LSU’s creamery and dairy store. He said he was surprised at how much progress the crew made from day to day.

“They’re tearing it down quick and getting the trash out quicker,” Smith said. “And it’s pretty impressive, honestly.”

Anthropology freshman Waylon Gayle also said he enjoyed watching the projects. His father owns a construction company, and Gayle said he liked observing the workers and trying to figure out what they’re doing.

On the other hand, large sections of road-closing construction on both South Campus and Field House drives have made it

harder for some to navigate from class to class.

Mass Communication sophomore Abbey O’Malley said she’d been watching for months the project that shut down a quarter-mile stretch of Field House Drive from the traffic circle by the Journalism Building to its intersection with South Campus Drive.

On a recent Thursday, she sat outside Lockett Hall, surveying the fenced-off area. Clouds of dust billowed from the site. O’Malley scrunched her eyes.

“I think it’s really inconvenient,” she said, “mainly because they didn’t really tell us about it before it started.”

O’Malley said she couldn’t understand why so much work was being done on the road during the school year’s busy spring semester. She also said she thought the construction posed a safety hazard.

She often sits outside the Journalism Building, and when the project first started O’Malley said she watched student after student trip on the constructionmangled sidewalk just south of the traffic circle.

More than that, she lamented

the projects’ slow progress.

“It seems like they don’t really get a lot done,” O’Malley said.

The construction closing South Campus and Field House drives began two years ago in spring of 2022 and is estimated to end in May, according to Executive Director of Facility & Property Oversight Tammy Millican.

The project, according to Facility Services, is part of the university’s Utilities Modernization Initiative — in this instance, to improve LSU’s central cooling and heating by updating underground distribution lines.

But the most recent surge of work has been most disruptive in its final stages, according to some students.

Kinesiology sophomore Michael Trinh sat recently on the west side of Field House Drive. Behind him, an excavator moved dirt from one side of the street to the other, making a little pile bigger and a big pile littler.

Trinh said he understood the university needed upgrades.

The LSU system carries more than $1 billion in deferred maintenance, according to the Louisiana Board of Regents’ most recent estimate in March 2022.

But Trinh said construction on campus seemed never-ending.

“It’s never like, complete, like, when they get done with one thing, it’s on to the next,” he said. “And that’s not necessarily a bad thing if they’re trying to make improvements, but I feel like there might be better times to do it.”

GRACELYN FARRAR / The Reveille

The LSU Student Senate gathers March 27 in the LSU Student Union.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

A construction worker walks along a hole in the ground Jan. 29 on Field House Drive on LSU’s campus.

STUDENT GOV, from page 3

students with other students in the housing portal to create a safer, more comfortable housing process and environment for all.

Guest speaker Gabriela Juárez, a political science freshman, represented the LGBTQ+ Caucus at the Senate meeting by sharing her support for the bill. She outlined her own

AWARENESS

, from page 3

Month in April, this march draws attention to the issue and provides an opportunity for survivors, advocates, family members, friends and supporters of survivors to come together safely and confidentially.

The march was kicked off by a speech given by Kelley-Ellis, where she explained the mission of Lighthouse.

“The need for survivor advocacy work is so plentiful that there are never enough minds around the table, enough mouthpieces to say, I believe you, or enough hands to help victims recover,” Kelley-Ellis said.

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, Kelley-Ellis said, the best thing we can do for a survivor of sex-

ENVIRONMENT

experiences, sharing that her own housing application process was difficult and anxietyinducing, “as if I’m some kind of threat or liability they signed on to,” she said

“I’m no threat to any roommate,” Juárez said, “and I certainly don’t appreciate the university and administration treating me as if I am one.”

Three residence halls, Azalea, Cedar and Spruce, already

ual assault is believe them.

Some advocates at LSU stood and spotlighted celebrities who have helped shine a light on sexual assault survivors, such as Kesha and Drew Dixon, both of whom shared their stories about sexual assault in the music industry.

After the initial demonstration and speeches, the supporters marched around Cypress Hall, back alongside The 5 Dining Hall and straight through the middle of the Enchanted Forest.

One advocate marched against the odds, with a broken foot.

Gianna Vaccaro, a political science sophomore, broke her third, fourth and fifth metatarsal and fractured her ankle. Now, she wears a boot on her right leg.

allow transgender students to room with students that match their gender identity, according to Juárez. These halls are listed as co-ed by suite compared to others which are co-ed by floor. This allows for transgender students who haven’t changed their gender marker to room with students matching their gender identity.

Juárez said the university’s current housing process sends

Despite her faulty foot, she marched proudly because she wanted everyone to know that she stands with them and by them, Vaccaro said.

“I think that survivors of sexual assault are so hesitant to come out and just speak about their experience because they’re so worried about being believed. There’s such a stigma around it,” Vaccaro said.

As the march came to a close, Kelley-Ellis looked out on the crowd, the survivors and supporters, and smiled.

“Wow. This was so impactful. I sincerely hope that you embodied that awareness of survivors and their experiences and that you truly felt that purity, knowing you are a human being having human experiences,” Kelley-Ellis said.

the message that transgender students are not welcome or wanted on LSU campus.

“I would also like to point out that there is a big problem on this campus with the way that we approach trans students,” said College of Science Sen. Hannah Alm-Gibson during debate, noting there were several individuals who didn’t feel safe on campus.

“They don’t feel safe going

out at night, don’t feel safe going to the bars, don’t feel safe with a lot of Greek life,” AlmGibson said. “We need to show support for those individuals.”

These two bills are merely suggestions to the university administration, and, while encouraging action from LSU, don’t require the campus to implement them.

The next Senate meeting is on April 10.

Louisiana’s coast: Inside the Mid-Barataria sediment diversion

BY ASHLYNN BAILLIO @ashlynnbaillio

Louisiana’s coast is a tapestry of natural wonders, teeming with life and rich in biodiversity. Its marshes, bayous, and wetlands form a delicate ecosystem that provides a habitat for a diverse array of plants and animals and serves as a vital buffer against hurricanes and storm surges.

However, this picturesque landscape is under threat. Louisiana’s coastal land loss crisis has reached critical levels, with over 2,000 square miles lost from 19322015, according to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s 2023 Master Plan. CPRA warns that without intervention, another 3,000 square miles could be lost over the next 50 years.

“[Louisiana has] 40% of the coastal wetlands in the lower 48 states. But we have 80% of the wetland loss,” said John White, an associate dean of research and professor at the LSU Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences. “We’re losing so much land so fast because there’s probably somewhere between eight and 10 kilometers of mud sitting under Louisiana. That mud kind of compresses; it’s called subsidence. And we’re sinking at the same time that the sea level is rising.”

One proposed solution is the Mid-Barataria sediment diversion, a $2.9-billion project part of an extensive network of efforts conducted by CPRA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers aiming to reconnect the Mississippi River with its deltaic wetlands.

Primarily funded by the Natural Resource Damage Assessment funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement, the project is designed to mimic natural processes by diverting a portion of the river’s flow and sediment near the town of Ironton into nearby marshes and basins. Proponents of the project say it would add up to 26,000 acres of wetland to the state marshes within 50 years.

However, the project has faced scrutiny and debate, partly due to a natural sediment diversion further along the river called Neptune Pass. Some argue that Neptune Pass is achieving similar outcomes without human intervention, leading to questions about the necessity of constructing a sediment diversion.

According to Alex Kolker, an oceanographer, geologist and climate scientist at Tulane University, while Neptune Pass is naturally occurring, the levees along the river in the Mid-Barataria area prevent such natural processes from occurring. Therefore, the Mid-Barataria project is essential to mimic the river’s flow and restore the coast.

Some residents of Plaquemines Parish are also concerned about the project’s effects. Stretching from Belle Chasse to the mouth of the Mississippi River, Plaquemines Parish is a region deeply intertwined with the river’s ecosystem. Home to many commercial and recreational fishermen, the residents of this parish rely on the river for their livelihood. Because of this concern, the sediment diversion has faced backlash and

legal challenges from community members.

Recently, the Louisiana fourth Circuit Court of Appeal ordered a lawsuit seeking to halt the project to return to a Plaquemines Parish courtroom. This decision followed a temporary stop-work order issued by the parish, which had halted construction of the diversion.

One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is Jurisich Oysters LLC, which asserts that its members have deep familial and personal connections to the region and significant personal and aesthetic stakes in the biological integrity of the Barataria Basin.

“The [Mid-Barataria sediment diversion Project will indisputably

harm the economic, personal, professional, and aesthetic interests of Jurisich and its members,” the lawsuit reads, a claim not without merit. Sediment diversion projects, such as this one, “will change the salinity of the bay, and that can impact the species that live there,” Kolker said.

However, CPRA remains committed to the project’s success.

“We know the pendulum swings in the other direction, towards negative impacts, if you don’t take action in this area,” said Simone Maloz, the campaign director for Restore The Mississippi River Delta.

If a community harmed by the diversion, almost $400 million of the $2.9 billion project funding

has been allocated for mitigation, Maloz said.

The diversion’s construction is expected to span approximately five years.

“We did an economic analysis years ago. And in that five years of construction, tens of thousands of jobs were created,” Maloz said.

These jobs are generated not only during the construction phase but also during the operation of the diversion, providing long-term economic benefits to the region.

Only time will tell if these benefits will be realized.

“The number one impediment to restoration is somebody filing a lawsuit, and then everything has to hold,” White said.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL/ The Reveille

Attendees walk the route in silence March 26 at the Believe March on LSU’s campus.

MATTHEW

The Mississippi River flows March 22 through Baton Rouge, La.

ENTERTAINMENT Street Squad tea party presents caffeine management tips

BY CATE EMMA WARREN @cateemmawarren

To help students learn about the negative effects of caffeine intake, the Street Squad peer educations of the Student Health Center recently presented an “Afternoon Tea Party” on Thursday in front of the LSU Library.

The Street Squad works through the health center to promote events involving health and wellness. Lillian Marrus, art and design freshman, joined the team last semester. She said she enjoys how the job connects her skills as an art major.

“My older sister was part of Street Squad,” Marrus said. “Throughout the years, she’s been incorporated with it, and she wanted me to join. I really like doing this because we get to make graphics for the Student Health Center. I’m doing VA so, I can kind of do a mixture of whatever I want to do with art, but I kind of want to focus on graphic design.”

The table for the event had a tea-making station for students to select a type of tea and then make it using a Keurig. There was honey and sugar to add in after. They also had sleep hygiene packages for students to take including sleep masks, essential oils, ear plugs, tea pack-

ets and a small journal. Marrus came up with the idea for the event despite not being a big fan of caffeine.

“I try to stay away from caffeine intake just because I have problems with sleeping,” Marrus said. “I was thinking of a cute little afternoon tea party because it’s spring. Also, I was thinking about Easter and what ideas would be fun to incorporate with that. That’s why I came up with a tea party.”

Kennedy Falcon is a graduate assistant for wellness and health promotion at the Student Health Center and was helping Marrus with the event.

“How much caffeine that you intake in a day has been associated with poor sleep,” Falcon said “Meaning if you over intake caffeine, you can have trouble sleeping, and it can throw off your sleep cycle, which can be bad for students who are already probably short on sleep. Caffeine isn’t bad, but the amount that you intake in a day can affect your sleep.”

Another common issue Falcon brought up was caffeine immunity. She said one remedy to having trouble falling sleep could be using essential oils.

“It doesn’t mean you’re immune to caffeine, but you do build a tolerance to it,” Falcon

said. “Just like people can build a tolerance to alcohol, people can build a tolerance to caffeine. But of course, with tolerance with alcohol, same thing with caffeine you might think you’re doing good and then you might get caught off guard and have something happen to your heart or something.”

Biology freshman Ashley Mercier said she only drinks coffee about two to three times a week.

“I don’t always drink coffee because of the taste,” Mercier said. “The benefits would definitely be the energy that you get; it helps when focusing or for a long study session. However, after the effects ware off, the crash can be pretty dramatic.”

Caffeine intake can increase the time it takes to fall asleep. Avoiding consuming caffeine in the afternoon or evening can lead to a better sleep schedule. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults should sleep seven hours or more per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health.

“We just want to educate students on proper caffeine intake and tea is one of the healthier options,” Falcon said. “It has a lower caffeine intake, but can still help you wake up in the morning and give you that little bit of energy that you need.”

LSU Opera and Orchestra brings back a classic: ‘Carousel’

BY CATE EMMA WARREN @cateemmawarren

As the curtain rises above the stage, the orchestra hums in tune of the prologue opening the musical “Carousel.” The show opened on Friday, March 22, and had a matinee performance on Sunday, March 24.

All performances were held in the Shaver Theatre inside the Music and Dramatic Arts Building. The show was a partnership between LSU’s Turner-Fischer Center for Opera and the LSU Orchestra.

The artistic director of the Turner-Fischer Center and the Stage Director for the show, Dugg McDonough, is a longtime fan of classic American musical theater. He discussed the training program’s use of “lyric theatre,” which embraces both opera and musical theatre and operetta.

He also believes that Golden Age shows, or the era of American musical theatre from the ‘40s and ‘50s, like “Carousel” have become more common in production in opera companies today.

“So many opera companies are programming pieces like Carousel right along with the traditional operas,” McDonough said. “Part of it is training people

for the real world that they’re going to enter but also, I want it to be known to our audiences and to the students here that Golden Age musicals are classics that we need to perform and respect and learn from and just adore.”

You may typically see “Carousel” on a Broadway stage despite it not originally being written for the actors to have microphones. The style of singing changes when the actors have to sing over the orchestra without a mic.

A majority of the actors in this show, including the show’s lead Yonathan “Yoni” Astatke, are trained in only opera, so the dialogue heavy script presented a challenge at first. Astatke is a first year master’s student in vocal performance and he portrayed the role of Billy Bigelow.

“We’re mainly opera singers, so we’re not really used to having a lot of dialogue like this in a show,” Astatke said. “That’s been something that has been really tricky that we’ve all had to work extra hard to get right. But it’s been a really good learning process for me.”

Astatke also said that his role as Papageno in the production of “The Magic Flute” last semester inspired him to audition for this show. Billy Bigelow was Astatke’s dream role, and he said

he never thought we would get the opportunity to play the character on stage.

“I’m not what you consider to be like traditional norms of being attractive in some people’s eyes. Like I don’t really look chiseled or, like, statuesque or anything. So I always thought this role was something that I would never get the chance to do,” he said.

Maura Schaefer, second year master’s vocal performance, discussed her favorite parts of her character Julie Jordan the other lead in the show.

“Julie Jordan is a very interesting character,” Schaefer said. “I honestly just love the music that she gets to sing. ‘If I Loved You’ is this gorgeous, very wellknown piece. The beautiful duet between her and Billy in the first act is just really wonderful. And then, how she interacts with all the other characters in the show is interesting and fun to be a part of.”

Schaefer also shared how the show’s blend of music and dialogue creates a truly immersive experience.

“I think what makes ‘Carousel’ unique and different from other musicals that you might be familiar with is that there’s a lot of music that underscores the dialogue,” Schaefer said. “For in-

stance, our big ‘If I Loved You’ the scene, it’s like 15 minutes long with dialogue and singing interspersed in it. That’s been really interesting to approach since you’re doing everything and at once.”

The piece requires singing, acting and doing dialogue all at once as well as proper timing with the orchestra.

Rodger and Hammerstein’s works still have relevance today. This show specifically has strong social messages, one of the most important topics covered domestic abuse.

“I want the audience to take away from this performance that domestic abuse is not okay,” Astatke said. “I want the audience to always speak up whatever they see it happening. This role was a blueprint and like a crash course on what not to do, and how not to treat people. So I just, if nothing else I want the audience to take from this that Billy isn’t someone who you want to aspire to be and that domestic abuse is serious.”

A unique characteristic of this show versus other “Carousel” productions is that the set is designed to look like an actual carousel and is completely movable. The actors organically move the set pieces around the stage throughout the show. This

not only paints beautiful stage pictures but also helps move the story along while tying everything together.

“This is a piece I’ve wanted to do for decades and never had the opportunity to do it,” McDonough said. “I’ve always wanted to do it in a way that our production creates the show. Those pieces you see all move and the carousel itself becomes like a metaphor for the personal relationships in the piece. I’ve never seen a production carousel that approaches it the same way we have. I’m very proud of that.”

Astatke said his favorite moment in the show is his eightminute song at the end of Act One, “Soliloquy.” The song reflects on fatherhood and breaking patterns of violence.

“Soliloquy is really special for me because soliloquy is a piece that I worked on all throughout my undergrad,” Astatke said. “Getting a chance to do it in the role with an orchestra has been something that’s really really special for me. The last minute or two of the song where he’s like, ‘No, I will not let this kid be like me. I want to break these patterns of violence that I’ve been subjected to for my whole life. I want to do right by my family.’ That’s like a very poignant moment for me.”

CATE EMMA WARREN / The Reveille

Students gather outside the Library March 28 on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

SPORTS STRAIGHT INTO 8

LSU escapes UCLA 78-69 in the Sweet 16, advances to the Elite 8

BY TYLER HARDEN @ttjharden8

It wasn’t going to come easy in the Sweet 16, but after UCLA came within striking distance of ending LSU’s season, the Tigers escaped with a 78-69 win.

LSU finished the game shooting 26-for-57 from the field as a team (45.6%) and 2-for-5 from three (40%). The Tigers also shot 24-for-31 from the foul line (77.4%).

Flau’jae Johnson was LSU’s answer

Johnson had the hot hand for LSU for the majority of the game, leading the Tigers with 24 points.

She shot 7-for-11 from the field, 2-for-2 from three and 8-for-10 at the free-throw line. She grabbed 12 rebounds as well.

Emphasis in the paint led to foul trouble

When the post play was the main focus throughout the game, the guards took advantage. But the post players on both sides of the ball still made their impact.

But the emphasis in the paint found both sides in foul trouble.

Angel Reese and UCLA’s Kiki Rice both fouled out of the game with under a minute left. Aneesah Morrow had four fouls, and Johnson had three fouls. Aalyah Del Rosario also had four fouls off the bench.

Reese finished with a double-

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. She shot 5-for-12 from the field and 6-for-7 from the foul line.

Morrow was right there with Reese with 17 points and four rebounds, shooting 7-for-11 from the field.

“I thought that Morrow took over a little bit offensively when we got a little bit tired,” head coach Kim Mulkey said. “I just thought a lot of individual players did a lot of little things to help us win the game.”

But UCLA’s 6-foot-7 inch center, Lauren Betts, found herself in foul trouble, too. She finished the game with 14 points and 17 rebounds, shooting 4-for-9 from the field.

“She’s a great player, great post player,” Reese said. “She worked all night for her points.”

Gabriela Jaquez was a force for UCLA off the bench, scoring 14 points. She shot 5-for-11 from the field and added five rebounds.

UCLA found it’s rhythm in the third quarter

Just as Johnson had her shot, Londynn Jones found hers in the third quarter. Jones made two 3-pointers with less than four minutes left in the third quarter to give UCLA a 45-44 lead.

The Bruins were back in it.

Jones led UCLA with 14 points, shooting 4-for-14 from three and 5-for-17 from the field. UCLA built off of Jones’ sharp shooting, and Rice led the way in the attack.

Rice finished the game with

BASEBALL

LSU baseball swept by Arkansas

BY MACKAY SUIRE @macthetiger

LSU baseball suffered its first series sweep to Arkansas this weekend, falling to the Razorbacks 7-4, 4-3 and 7-5, respectively.

The Tigers came up short in every aspect of the game and were unable to piece together a solid performance against the No. 1 team in the nation.

Here’s where LSU fell flat throughout the weekend: At the plate

Against a competitive Arkansas bullpen, LSU produced incomplete offensive performances throughout the entire weekend.

The Razorbacks’ ace, Hagen Smith, did a number on the Tiger’s lineup. The All-American pitched the first six innings of Game 1. The Tigers notched five hits and two runs against Smith but also struck out 10 times. The Razorbacks’ Friday night guy didn’t walk a single Tiger in his outing.

LSU left seven on base throughout Game 1, and although Arkansas stranded 12, the Razorbacks were able to capitalize on those runners when it mattered, resulting in their first win of the series. The Hogs noted seven runs battered in that

What we learned from The Washington Post’s story on Mulkey

BY JASON WILLIS & TYLER HARDEN

@JasonWillis4 & @ttjharden8

The Washington Post released a feature about LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey, on Saturday, profiling her life and coaching career and reporting several previously untold stories of alleged mistreatment of certain players.

The story, titled “The Kim Mulkey way,” details Mulkey’s rise to success, her personality and her uniquely effective coaching style.

However, much of the public focus was on the accusations in the article, especially with Mulkey having spoken on it in a recent presser before its publication.

Many of the allegations in the article, written by award-winning reporter Kent Babb, deal with Mulkey’s past at Baylor and her relationships with her players while in Waco, Texas.

Throughout the article, there are statements by Mulkey and her representatives denying the allegations or offering context,

including a statement saying that Mulkey didn’t treat gay players “more harshly or differently.”

In the article, several gay former players of Mulkey’s at Baylor described feeling that Mulkey disapproved of their sexual identity, similar to what former Baylor star Brittney Griner detailed in a 2013 ESPN feature.

The article provides stories of Mulkey making comments at Baylor on how players dressed, their weight and personal life, including having players weigh themselves in front of the team.

Mulkey is described as having frequently used personal shame as a coaching tool. Former Baylor players said they were told to discuss personal problems with assistant coaches rather than Mulkey.

Kelli Griffin, who played at Baylor from 2007-10 before quitting the team early in her senior year, said that she originally went to Baylor because of Mulkey and believed she was an amazing coach. When Mulkey found out that Griffin was gay, Griffin said,

“she made my life hell.”

Griffin told The Washington Post that Mulkey would ask her why she dressed like a boy when she wore baggy jeans, basketball shorts and sweats. She also said Mulkey told her a lady wears a dress.

Griffin said she was suspended by Mulkey prior to her senior year after an altercation with an exgirlfriend, who was also a teammate. The teammate, identified as Morghan Medlock, and Mulkey’s representatives say Griffin was actually suspended for use of marijuana, which she denies.

After being suspended, Griffin said she told the coaches she planned to transfer because she “couldn’t play for Kim anymore.”

However, Griffin had trouble in being released from Baylor.

Eventually, the program announced that Griffin had quit, and that she “just didn’t want to play basketball anymore.”

Former Baylor guard DiDi Richards, who played there from 2017-21, told The Washington Post that Mulkey would comment fre -

quently about her hair color and styling, asking things like “Why is your hair purple?” and “Are you gonna wear them two ponytails?”

Emily Niemann, who transferred from Baylor in 2005, told The Washington Post that Mulkey told her that her being seen around campus with a girlfriend was “not a good look.”

Though most of the allegations in the article deal with Mulkey’s time at Baylor, there are a few from her time at LSU.

The article says Mulkey has privately complained about LSU star Angel Reese’s grades and the amount of time she spends on social media.

It also says that after a fight involving players, Mulkey organized a meeting where phones weren’t allowed, something that a source in the article says is a frequent occurrence to keep players from posting Mulkey’s tirades.

Former LSU players also told The Post that they felt discouraged from speaking about Griner while she was being detained in Russia for having vape cartridges

with cannabis in her luggage. Griner and Mulkey had a troubled relationship, and Mulkey had declined to publicly speak on Griner’s situation.

Prior to The Washington Post’s release, Mulkey opened a press conference last week before LSU’s Round of 32 NCAA Tournament matchup with remarks toward rumors of the piece’s release.

“I’ve hired the best defamation law firm in the country, and I will sue The Washington Post if they publish a false story about me. Not many people are in a position to hold these kinds of journalists accountable, but I am, and I’ll do it,” Mulkey said.

Since that press conference, Mulkey has declined to substantially comment on the article, saying she’s focused on the NCAA Tournament.

LSU was informed beforehand of the most pressing allegations in the story but hadn’t seen the full article until its publication.

The article was rumored to be near release by Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde last week.

MORGAN COOK / The Reveille

LSU women’s basketball sophomore guard Flau’jae Johnson (4) celebrates scoring March 24 during LSU’s 83-56 second-round NCAA tournament win against Middle Tennessee at the Pete Maravich Center.

ADVANCED, from page 9

13 points, shooting 5-for-13 from the field, and 3-for-3 from the foul line. However, Rice fouled out of the game with under a minute left in the game.

ARKANSAS, from page 9

night. LSU only noted three.

In Game 2 against Arkansas, LSU faced Mason Molina in the batter’s box. Molina pitched five innings and noted seven strikeouts. He allowed seven hits and three runs within those five innings, but unfortunately for LSU, Molina’s departure from the rubber also meant an absence in its offensive production.

LSU’s Ashton Larson knotted up Game 2 in the sixth inning with an runs batted in line drive that scored Josh Pearson. The hit sent the 3-3 ball game into extra innings.

In the 10th inning, any fire from Tiger bats had been completely extinguished. LSU first baseman Jared Jones reached first on a single to left field, but his time on base was

Charisma Osborne added eight points, shooting 3-for-6 from the field and 2-for-5 from three.

Who’s next?

LSU will play the winner of No. 1 Iowa and No. 4 Colorado in the Elite Eight on Monday at 6 p.m.

nents rely on the back end of their bullpen, so fans were hoping that the Tiger bats would see less experienced Razorback arms. Unfortunately for them, however, Arkansas’ arms pieced together complete performances.

Brady Tygart, Game 3’s starter, aided the Tigers’ dominant start. He allowed four runs on five hits across four innings. Once again, when Tygart was relieved from the mound, LSU was unable to compete offensively.

LSU led until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Razorbacks scored three off of Tiger arm Gage Jump. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Arkansas scored three runs off of two hits, one of which was a two-run home run.

In total, LSU stranded 20 batters throughout the weekend. Arkansas

C.T., which will also be played at MVP Arena in Albany, New York.

The Tigers now advance to a much anticipated stage with the chance to rematch with Iowa, which LSU defeated in last season’s national championship. But

Game 1’s starter was Javen Coleman, a redshirt junior who missed the majority of the 2023 season after rehabilitating Tommy John’s surgery. Coleman competed in just over two innings and allowed one run on two hits. He walked two and struck out three.

LSU went on to showcase six other pitchers in game one. In total, the seven pitchers struck out 10 Razorbacks and walked 11.

Only three Arkansas pitchers made an appearance in game one. The trio struck out 18 and only walked two throughout the entire night.

Luke Holman, LSU’s ace, didn’t make an appearance until Game 2 of the series.

Holman didn’t quite deliver like the Tigers had hoped he would. The Alabama transfer allowed

the Tigers could also rematch with Colorado, which defeated LSU in its season opener to 92-78.

Regardless of what the rematch may look like, LSU looks to pick up another hard-fought win to advance to the Final Four in Cleveland, Ohio.

gest arm. Herring’s outing lasted just over four innings. He allowed three hits but struck out eight. The sophomore didn’t walk a single Razorback.

Thatcher Hurd was called in as the closer for Game 2. He only pitched to three batters was credited with the loss. It was Hurd that allowed the Razorbacks to score their series winning run.

Game 3 of the series featured LSU newcomer Gage Jump. Jump allowed four runs on seven hits in his 3.2 innings pitched. The UCLA transfer walked two and struck out three. His lack luster performance paired poorly with LSU’s offensive production.

The Tigers had managed to string together their most successful hitting performance of the weekend, collecting five runs on

“We just take it one game at a time,” Johnson said. “We’re on a high right now after this dub, but we’ll give ourselves until like 4:30, and then we’ll be onto the next one.”

of aggression, on every side of the ball. The Tigers’ bullpen threw a total of 526 pitches throughout the series, 300 of which were strikes.

Arkansas’ 468 total pitches showcased its stronger bullpen, as well as its ability to conduct smart at at-bats-bats throughout all nine innings of a ball game.

LSU’s 6-4 loss against Florida on March 23 at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

MADALYN CUNNINGHAM / The Reveille LSU baseball redshirt sophomore left-handed pitcher Gage Jump (23) prepares to pitch the ball during

Kate Middleton conspiracy theorizers

TAYLOR’S TALKS

TAYLOR HAMILTON

@taylorhami04

For the last couple of months, much of the internet was obsessing over any and everything to do with the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, while, unbeknownst to the public, she was undergoing chemotherapy after a cancer diagnosis.

It all started in December 2023 when Kensington Palace announced that Kate would undergo abdominal surgery. According to People, she underwent her surgery in January, and it was very successful.

Shortly after her surgery, she disappeared for a little bit, which caused concern for many fans, who started using the hashtag #whereiskate on social media to “bring awareness” to the princess’ whereabouts and stir up drama.

The worst part of it all was some of the conspiracy theories that came from Kate’s “disappearance.” They included the possibility that the princess died, her and Prince William’s marriage was falling apart or someone else in the royal family was

dying.

All of these theories were utterly ridiculous, because even if they were true, people should’ve just waited for a statement. We don’t need to make outlandish theories about the lives of other people just to get views or spread rumors that may or may not be true.

However, that was only the beginning of the conspiracy theorizing.

What made matters worse was a botched photo of Kate and her family posted on March 10. Even at a glance, there was something glaringly off about the photos.

For starters, Kate’s hands didn’t appear to be her own. On her left hand, she wasn’t wearing her engagement ring or wedding band. This, of course, stirred the rumors about Kate and William’s marriage to an unprecedented degree.

Not only that, Kate’s hair

looked sloppier than usual, and her son Prince Louis’ hand looked rather strange.

And the strangest thing about the whole situation was that Kate herself edited the photo, she said in a statement on social media after the oddities were noticed. You would’ve thought that someone looked twice at that photo before publishing it, considering the already existing publicity heat that comes with being a royal.

Nevertheless, no matter how people analyzed the photo, it was rather strange. And the most disturbing thing was the fans’ responses. Not only did the previously mentioned rumors spread like wildfire, but people became even more concerned about the princess and whether something would be announced about the family soon.

Unfortunately, those people eventually got their wish when Kate announced her cancer diagnosis shortly after King Charles announced his. The type of cancer Middleton has is currently unknown.

In light of that announcement, anyone who made up and spread rumors about the princess should absolutely feel like crap. I’m sorry to say it, but the

way people obsessed about the whole situation was horrible.

Kate had already begun her battle against cancer when heinous rumors were flying around, so, yeah, I have no sympathy for any of the people who started immature rumors about the princess and the rest of the Royal Family.

I truly hope that this whole issue has made people realize that they shouldn’t overly obsess about the Royal Family during times of crisis. Yes, I get it, you want to stay on top of the trends, but there’s a fine line between reporting news and being a jerk about people’s personal matters.

Because, believe it or not, Kate and the rest of the Royal Family are people. They have feelings, secrets and lives. They don’t deserve to have all of that uprooted by people who can’t entertain themselves. Though they may be public figures, they still deserve some level of privacy.

So instead of spreading obscene rumors, let’s hope that Charles and Kate remain healthy and alive during these great times of uncertainty.

Taylor Hamilton is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Tallahassee, Florida.

Women who break society’s social expectations are heroes

AMYRI JONES @acameliasssss

Being that we live in a patriarchal world, the standards that define womanhood or how a woman should behave are rooted in misogyny. A good woman is submissive, always kind, modest and soft spoken. She cleans, cooks and is basically the background to a man’s foreground.

Women who don’t fit into such confines are thus viewed as “bad” women. If you’re outspoken, independent, ambitious or fond of showing skin in your fashion choices, you’ll be viewed negatively by men and, unfortunately, other women who have internalized their misogyny.

This is what makes combatting the patriarchy so difficult. Both men and women are active agents in the continuation of this system.

Though the patriarchy has had numerous problematic effects on the minds of women and men, that’s not the main point of this piece. In contrast, I’m arguing that unhinged women will save us all from the violent and overbearing monster that is misogyny.

Throughout my life, I’ve occasionally heard the phrase, “Unruly women make history,” and I couldn’t agree more with the sentiment. Women who challenge the status quo are trailblazers. “Bad” women like them are actually good, and more women should recognize that.

I’ve noticed that “bad” women tend to have the same qualities. They either cuss, drink, love to go out or wear a lot of makeup. And they can be promiscuous or always have something to say. It’s crazy to think about how arbitrary some of those traits are, because how does makeup lessen a woman’s value?

These misogynistic standards are ludicrous to say the least, and

they contradict themselves. Don’t show your skin or you risk being harassed, yet even when you’re fully clothed, you can still be sexualized. Ask hijabi women.

If you don’t want to do something, just say no, but even that response can get you murdered. Furthermore, you can wear makeup, but not too much. Make your own money, but don’t be too independent. The list goes on.

The fact of the matter is that even when you do everything “right,” or rather when you fit the description of a “good” woman, you’re still screwed. There will be a lifelong target on your back as long as you’re a woman.

As a woman, there’s nothing that you can do that’d save you from the violence and degradation that come from patriarchy. If choosing to do whatever you want as a woman makes you “bad,” then so be it.

It’s already difficult and dangerous to be a woman in this world, so why add more stress

to your life by shrinking yourself or listening to what a man thinks about women? You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t, so none of that matters.

To my unhinged women, women who probably would’ve been burned at the stake in the 1600s and women who are fed

up, enough is enough. Just because patriarchy rules the world, it doesn’t mean that it also has to rule our identities too, so let’s blaze trails. We ride at dawn.

Amyri Jones is a 22-year-old digital advertising and religious studies senior from Baton Rouge.

DAVID CLIFF / AP Photo

Kate, Princess of Wales and Prince William travel in a coach following the coronation ceremony of Britain’s King Charles III in London, May 6.

AMYRI’S VANTAGE

GRAPHIC BY MATTHEW PERSCHALL