Surprisingly the reigning national champions and top-ranked LSU lost their season opener to the No. 20 Colorado Buffaloes with a score of 92-78, this sparked a lot of headlines on the internet. It is the first time since the 1995-96 season that the No. 1 team in the AP poll has lost its opening game. The upset came nearly seven months after LSU’s championship win, raising questions about their ability to defend their title.
Basketball enthusiasts and fans of the team took to Social media to share their thoughts on the defeat. One user stated “Tik tok Queens humbled 😭” Another added, “LSU gotta get off social media and get back to work” suggesting the team should focus less on social media and more on the game.
NO. 1 LSU UPSET BY NO. 20 COLORADO IN THE SEASON OPENER 😱 pic.twitter.com/dIs9WUZTk3
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 7, 2023
The game was an example of the challenges that come with staying at the top. Colorado, which made the Sweet 16 last season, dominated the court with Frida Formann scoring 27 points and Aaronette Vonleh contributing 24, indicating that the Buffaloes are ready to compete on the national stage.
NO. 1 LSU UPSET BY NO. 20 COLORADO IN THE SEASON OPENER 😱 pic.twitter.com/dIs9WUZTk3
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 7, 2023
In the match, even after taking an early lead in the second quarter, LSU struggled to maintain their lead against Colorado’s aggressive gameplay. The Buffaloes shot an impressive 53.2%, leading by as many as 22 points, and never gave up the lead after a major run in the first half.
LSU coach says team lacked toughness in opening loss
Following the unexpected loss to the Colorado Buffaloes, LSU coach Kim Mulkey was honest about her team’s performance. In the post-game interview, Mulkey stated the lack of “guts and fight and physical play” from her team. She emphasized the need for the Tigers to show more effort.
“You live with just a tough night offensively,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said. “What I don’t live with is (lack of) guts and fight and physical play. You’ve got that dog in you, and I thought we didn’t have that tonight.”
Coach Mulkey was not entirely negative for her players, as she praised freshmen Mikaylah Williams and sophomore Sa’Myah Smith, “did all they could.” Yet, she stressed the need for collective effort and mental toughness from the entire team.
College basketball fans are left stunned as Angel Reese and LSU suffer a loss to Colorado in their first game since the NCAA title. An unexpected turn of events in women’s college basketball. 🏀😲 #WCBB #AngelReese #LSUBasketball pic.twitter.com/9wcKSnDnnL
— Latest Sports News (@latest_snews) November 7, 2023
Although she remains hopeful about the team’s capacity to bounce back, stating that the issues seen on the court are “fixable,” but there is no fixed timeline for this. She predicted an intense return to practice for their next match which is on coming Thursday.