A key reserve from last year’s national championship team is no longer with the LSU Lady Tigers.
Coach Kim Mulkey confirmed after the team’s 83-53 win over Louisiana on Sunday that Kateri Poole has been dismissed.
For most of last season Poole came off the bench, but during the NCAA Tournament, Mulkey inserted her into the starting line-up.
She made 38 three-pointers last season, including one that sealed the victory over Iowa in the national championship game. Poole also played good defense while averaging 4.5 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
But she only appeared in four games this season and has not played since November 17th when she was on the court for five minutes against Southeastern Louisiana.
Poole played a vital role in getting Angel Reese to transfer to LSU as the two were in the transfer portal together. Her disappearance from the team this year nearly coincided with Reese’s four-game absence.
Poole’s departure means LSU is short a point guard. Hailey Van Lith has been starting at point guard but missed Sunday’s game due to plantar fasciitis in her foot.
Last-Tear Poa started at point guard against the Lady Cajuns and had one point and a career-high seven assists. Mulkey didn’t like how Sunday’s game started and benched all of the starters except Reese. She brought the starters back four minutes later.
Mulkey also played six-foot freshman Mikaylah Williams at the point against the Cajuns, so if Van Lith is out for awhile expect to see Mulkey continuing to experiment.
The 7th ranked Lady Tigers host McNeese as they on Tuesday night as they are in the soft portion of their non-conference schedule.