Tipsheet

LSU Walked Off During the National Anthem Before Their Elite Eight Showdown With Iowa

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  April 02, 2024 12:50 AM

I don’t watch women’s basketball. I decided to watch my New York Rangers come out flat against the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, where they lost 5-2. The Rangers have already clinched a playoff spot, but I want home ice and the Metropolitan Division this year. It could get tough with the Carolina Hurricanes on our heels. Even if I knew the Rangers would lose, I probably wouldn’t have watched the Elite Eight of the NCAA women’s basketball tournament despite the hype. 

The LSU Tigers faced off against a familiar opponent: the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese would duel again, which led to an avalanche of headlines. The game was something of a rematch. The two teams faced off in last year’s championship, where LSU bested Iowa 102-85. There was trash talk, and this rivalry has led to some writers saying that Clark and Reese resemble Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Let’s hit the brakes on that for a bit. 

Based on the highlights, Clark was unstoppable, dropping 41 points in Iowa’s 94-87 win over the Tigers. If you want to thread a political comeuppance here, LSU’s team reportedly walked off the court before tip-off. LSU coach Kim Mulkey added that leaving the court before the game was not intentional; it was just part of their routine. Breitbart quoted her as saying she was unaware of when the national anthem is played. 

Disrespect the national anthem and get rolled over in the big game. Makes sense.