What did Angel Reese say? LSU star's trash talk frustrates UCLA bench in March Madness win

Dan Treacy

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What did Angel Reese say? LSU star's trash talk frustrates UCLA bench in March Madness win image

It hasn't been the smoothest season for defending national champion LSU, and that again rang true Saturday as the Tigers had to overcome a late deficit against UCLA to reach the Elite Eight.

LSU is at its best when Angel Reese is at her best. While the senior star didn't post her typical gaudy numbers in the win, she did bring the energy. Reese embraced her role as the villain, giving it to both the crowd and the UCLA bench after fouling out with a comfortable lead in the final minute.

Reese and LSU have won 13 of their last 14 games, with the only loss in that span coming against unbeaten South Carolina. Before the Tigers can get a potential rematch with the Gamecocks, they might first have to get past Caitlin Clark and Iowa if the Hawkeyes advance to the Elite Eight. 

If that's the matchup LSU ends up with, there's little doubt Reese will wear her emotions on her sleeve. 

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Here's what you need to know about Reese's taunting of UCLA and what was said during Saturday's Sweet 16 win.

Angel Reese taunting

Reese targeted UCLA's bench almost immediately after fouling out during the final minute of Saturday's game, jawing with the Bruins on her way off the court. It wasn't clear what she said in this interaction, but it was enough to anger UCLA personnel sitting on the bench.

Reese also gave it to the crowd late in the victory, firing up LSU fans while undoubtedly frustrating UCLA fans who saw their team blow a late lead.

Reese told reporters after the win that a UCLA coach was "talking crazy" on the bench, though she declined to go into detail about what she heard. While the coach in question wasn't UCLA head coach Cori Close, Close did implore officials to hit Reese and LSU with a technical foul for the interaction.

Reese briefly got into it with someone from UCLA again in the postgame handshake line, appearing to say, "watch your mouth," but she did not specify what happened in those moments following the final buzzer. 

LSU feeds off of Reese's emotions, but UCLA's call for a technical foul that could have allowed the Bruins to get back into the game is a reminder of how important it will be for the 2023 national champion to not let her passion get the best of her as long as the Tigers are still alive.

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Timeline of Angel Reese controversies

Saturday's incident was far from the first instance of Reese jawing with the opposing team.

Reese's signature controversy wasn't much of a controversy at all, at least in the eyes of everyone involved. She ruffled feathers when she flashed Caitlin Clark's "You can't see me" gesture during last year's national championship game, just the latest example of Reese's willingness to rile up the other team, but both Reese and Clark insisted there was nothing but respect for each other after the game.

Reese also appeared to tell a Tennessee player, "Get your money up," during a matchup in February.

Come March, Reese went back and forth with South Carolina players during an SEC title game that culminated in a skirmish involving her teammates, and she continued the trash-talking when she waved goodbye to a Middle Tennessee player who fouled out earlier in the NCAA Tournament.

In case there was any doubt that Reese is perfectly fine with playing the villain role, she called LSU a "good villain" after Saturday's win. That role won't change in the Elite Eight, particularly if the Tigers get a rematch of last year's national championship game against Clark and Iowa.

Dan Treacy

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Dan Treacy is a content producer for Sporting News, joining in 2022 after graduating from Boston University. He founded @allsportsnews on Instagram in 2012 and has written for Lineups and Yardbarker.