By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
The Bayou Barbie had another historic night in the WNBA Finals on Wednesday, becoming the youngest player to record three straight double-doubles in Finals history. Former LSU star Angel Reese led the Atlanta Dream to a 97-71 win over the Golden State Valkyries with 21 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals.
The 24-year-old also became youngest player in WNBA Finals history to record 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in consecutive games, joining five-time MVP A’ja Wilson as the only players to achieve the milestone in consecutive Finals games.
Her former coach, Kim Mulkey, was in attendance at the sold-out State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The pair won a national championship together at LSU in 2023, and Mulkey brought the same passion she has coaching the Tigers to watch one of her former standouts.
“She just kept telling me to just go get it,” Reese said after the game. “Go get it. Don’t stop and just two more. I won a championship with her, and I remember how that felt. And being able to do it again with this group is going to feel even more special.”
Reese was 7-of-12 from the field, 2-of-2 from three and 5-of-5 from the free throw line. As a team, the Dream shot 49.3% from the floor, their highest mark of the series. Reese scored the game’s opening bucket and the Valkyries never held a lead as Atlanta scored 23 or more points in every quarter.
The Dream will return for Game 4 in Atlanta on Saturday (noon). Thy have not lost in their home city since Aug. 28 and are 7-1 this post season, with the lone loss coming in Game 1 of the Finals at Golden State. If the Dream can secure a victory on Saturday, they will return to San Francisco on Monday (5 p.m.) with a chance to clinch the franchise’s first WNBA championship.
Mulkey will tip off her first action of the preseason with her LSU women’s basketball team on Thursday night. The Lady Tigers host North Texas-Dallas at 7 p.m. It is the first of two exhibition games before the regular season tips off on Nov. 2 against Southeastern Louisiana.
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