BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Former LSU star Angel Reese’s homecoming in the Chicago Sky’s WNBA exhibition opener was a smashing success.
Reese had 15 points and 10 rebounds, helping the Sky to a rousing 89-62 victory over the Brazilian national team on Friday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Reese was smiling the moment she entered the arena where her college career took off after transferring from Maryland. She earned All-America honors twice and led LSU to the national title in 2023.
“I’m just happy to be back to see all the fans, even down to the security guards, because I know how much was put into this program,” said Reese, who’s entering her second season with the Sky after earning WNBA All-Rookie honors last year, when she set a league single season rebounding record.
A crowd of 6,373, many of whom wore Sky T-shirts and Reese No. 5 jerseys, cheered her and rookie teammate Hailey Van Lith’s every move. Van Lith was an LSU teammate of Reese in 2023-24 before playing her final collegiate season at TCU.
Van Lith entered the game to a loud ovation with 5:43 left in the third quarter and finished with seven points, five assists and three rebounds.
Reese and Van Lith were honored before the game with video highlights of their time at LSU. Tigers coach Kim Mulkey gave the duo bouquets and hugs.
Kia Nurse added 11 points for the Sky. Chicago’s Kamilla Cardoso, playing against her Brazilian countrywomen, had six points and eight rebounds.
Manu Alves led Brazil with nine points.
Takeaways
Friday’s game was the first for new Sky coach Tyler Marsh. The Sky also debuted a revamped starting lineup, with veteran free agent signees Nurse and Courtney Vandersloot and trade acquisition Ariel Atkins joining Reese and Cardoso.
The result was a smooth offense guided by Vandersloot, a four-time all-league guard in her first 12 WNBA seasons with the Sky. She spent the last two years with the New York Liberty.
Brazil’s next stop in its U.S. tour will be an exhibition against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Sunday at the University of Iowa’s arena in Iowa City, where Clark starred in college.
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