ANGEL REESE RETURNS TO UNRIVALED

Rose BC is about to get a major boost as they look to defend their championship.

On February 11, it was announced that Angel Reese signed a rest-of-season contract. Reese was not among the initial players in this season’s pool of players in Unrivaled last fall. She joins a Rose basketball club that is 5-6 and hanging on to one of the final playoff spots.

In 2025, Reese won Defensive Player of the Year and helped Rose to an 8-6 record before a hand injury ended her season. Reese has spoken about her experiences with the development staff at Unrivaled, and with the increase in coaches for players, she can build on her skills even more.

She will make her Season 2 debut on February 20 against Hive BC.

Reese’s WNBA season ended in controversy as she and the Chicago Sky butted heads towards the end of the year. It was a blip on an otherwise bright season for the LSU star as she collected her second consecutive rebounding title and All-Star appearance. Off the court, she expanded her reach and has become an even bigger star in pop culture.

Angel Reese’s return is a welcome sight. Unrivaled has had some struggles, but they’ve also had plenty of big wins.

Reese is one of the biggest stars in sports, and watching her play ball is always a fun sight. Her presence will help lift Unrivaled in various ways.

LSU TRIES TO BEAT THE STREAK

14 years. The last time LSU beat Dawn Staley and the University of South Carolina, A’ja Wilson was a high school sophomore, Kim Mulkey was on the path to her second National Championship at Baylor, and Staley had yet to win her first championship. Despite LSU’s run of success in the 2020s, South Carolina has been the one mountain they haven’t been able to conquer. On Valentine’s Day, they get one more chance to do the impossible.

LSU hosts No. 3 South Carolina, and there are a lot of big stories in this one. In addition to trying to stop the losing streak, this is the first meeting for MiLaysia Fulwiley against her former team. Fulwiley had a good two years in South Carolina and contributed to the National Championship-winning team in 2024, but you got the sense that Dawn Staley and the coaching staff wanted just a little bit more out of her. It didn’t quite connect the way they and Fulwiley wanted it to, but there are no hard feelings

"Internally, a competitor wants to do really good against the former team,” Kim Mulkey said after LSU’s win against Auburn.

“In my talks with her, she's never said anything ugly about South Carolina. She just wanted to go somewhere where she would have an opportunity to learn the point guard position. She liked our style of play."

For LSU to finally beat South Carolina, they’re going to need big games from their dynamic duo of Mikaylah Williams and Flau’jae Johnson. Williams has never shot above 30 percent from the field against South Carolina, and Johnson has had her struggles over the years as well.

The Tigers are the number one offense in the nation and number three in rebounding. In both of South Carolina’s losses this year, they were out-rebounded by their opponents.

Following the win against Tennessee, rebounding was a point of emphasis for the team, and they will look to follow through here.

For the Gamecocks to push the streak to 15, they’ll turn to leading scorer Joyce Edwards and ace defender Raven Johnson. Edwards is third in the SEC in scoring at 20.3 points per game while Johnson is the lead defender of a Gamecocks club that is second in the SEC in opponents’ points per game, but still has room for improvement. The Gamecocks have plenty of depth and experience, and it’s helped them stay a step ahead of the Tigers over the years.

Primetime matchups are always special. The world is watching, you’re the center of the basketball universe, and you've got a sold-out crowd in the arena.

South Carolina and LSU see themselves as title contenders, and this game will go a long way in determining how ready they are for March.

SALUTING AN ICON

As part of Black History Month, we here at the Women’s Basketball Roundup will spotlight some icons who have made the game what it is today.

Today, we’ll discuss one of the game’s most impactful players on the court and inspirational figures off of it.

The story of Brittney Griner is a story of resilience. She came out in college at a University and for a coach that wasn’t especially welcoming or supportive. As a college superstar at Baylor and a franchise stalwart with the Phoenix Mercury, she was one of the best and most impactful centers in basketball history, having won everywhere she’s been. As impactful as she is on the court, her experience off it has shaken up the world.

In February 2022, Griner was in Russia playing overseas basketball as she normally did. Like many players, she was overseas to supplement her income and make up for where the WNBA fell short. She was stopped by authorities due to having a small vaporizer cartridge in her luggage and was unfairly detained by Russian authorities.

While she was detained, the women’s basketball community rallied to fiercely support their friend and colleague. Through that support and through the work of the Joe Biden x Kamala Harris administration, BG was freed before Christmas 2022 and has been home ever since.

Following her release, Griner has used her platform to speak up and support Americans unfairly detained overseas as part of the Bring Our Families Home campaign. Her experience in Russia was life-changing, and is now the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary.

“The Brittney Griner Story” premiered at the Sundance Festival and it details BG’s experience in Russia and how she has managed following her release. Griner and director Alexandria Stapleton were at the Festival and spoke with media who were on site.

During her interviews, she and Stapleton discussed the technical aspects of the film as well as Griner’s time in Russia. There are a lot of important things in Griner’s life these days, and there’s one thing in particular that stands out above all:

“Setting a good example for my son,” Griner said. “Leaving something behind for him to be him. Showing him that you can go through trials and tribulations, but you can come out on the other side, and there’s going to be support for you and community.”

Brittney Griner is one of the most important athletes of the 21st century. Her excellence made her a legend. Her resilience inspired a nation and helped shine a light on injustices around the world.

Her journey is far from over, and she will continue to be a positive force.

At Black Rosie Media, we love to give flowers to other writers and creators in the women’s basketball community.

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