GREENVILLE, S.C. — Angel Reese is not a finalist for the Naismith or Wade national player of the year awards.
And Kim Mulkey isn’t happy about it.
Reese, LSU’s All-American forward, lost out to South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Villanova’s Maddy Siegrist and Elizabeth Kitley of Virginia Tech for the Naismith Award. Boston, Clark, Siegrist and Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes are finalists for the Wade Trophy.
“(It) was a shock to me that Angel Reese is not (considered) one of the four best players in the country,” Mulkey said Thursday.
Reese ranks fifth in the nation in scoring (23.8 points per game) and second in rebounding (15.7 rpg). She is the only Division I player in the top five in both statistical categories.
Reese was also left off the list of finalists for the Wooden Award, which includes an academic component.
Reese brushed off questions about her not being a finalist.
“It’s bigger than me,” she said. “I just want to be with my teammates and get to the Final Four. That’s the finalist I want to be.”
Mulkey’s NCAA incentives
LSU’s coach has earned at least $126,000 in contract incentives so far during the Tigers’ Sweet 16 run and stands to earn much more if her team can continue to advance.
Mulkey earned a $28,000 bonus for an NCAA tournament appearance, $30,000 for advancing to the round of 32 and $33,000 for reaching the round of 16. She also earned a $30,000 bonus for LSU being ranked in the top 10 and has qualified for an extra $5,000 in sponsor-related compensation if the Tigers do not reach the Women’s Final Four.
A win against Utah in Friday’s regional semifinal to reach the Elite Eight triggers another $38,000 bonus. There are a total of $313,000 in bonuses remaining in Mulkey’s contact, including $150,000 for winning an NCAA championship.
Mulkey earned $2,139,625 this season (plus $60,000 in sponsor-related compensation). Her eight-year contract has annual escalators, making it worth an average of $2,429,750 per year.
Cavinders on Olivia Dunne
Miami’s Cavinder twins, Haley and Hanna, are the Olivia Dunnes of women’s college basketball.
The twins, who are playing for the Hurricanes in Friday’s first Greenville 2 regional semifinal against Villanova, have over 4 million social media followers. By comparison Dunne, the LSU gymnast, has 7.3 million followers on TikTok and 3.7 million on Instagram.
“I think Livvy is the queen of TikTok,” Haley Cavinder said. “She’s the queen of NIL.”
Instead of regarding Dunne as competition, both of the Cavinders said they’ve embraced her success. Dunne was a guest in December on their podcast.
“I think she’s an amazing girl,” Hanna Cavinder said. “I think whatever she’s doing for NIL, she’s paved the way, too. I’m so supportive of her.”
Miami got here by knocking off No. 1-seeded Indiana in the second round Monday, 70-68. It’s the Hurricanes’ first Sweet 16 appearance since 1992.
TV and radio
The LSU-Utah game will be carried on WTGE-FM 100.7 in Baton Rouge on the LSU Sports Radio Network, not 107.3 FM per usual.
ESPN will televise the LSU-Utah game at 4 p.m. CDT. Sunday’s regional final will be at 6 p.m. CDT, also on 100.7 and ESPN.