Kim Mulkey and the LSU Lady Tigers have prioritized playing HBCU teams over the past few seasons, and this tradition will continue in the upcoming season, with four Black college basketball programs on their schedule. Langston University, Alcorn State, Alabama State, and Morgan State are scheduled to face off against LSU this season, receiving a national platform and a sure-fire payout for the game.
In the 2023-2024 season, following their National Championship win, LSU played Mississippi Valley State, Texas Southern, and Coppin State. Last year, they played Xavier University of Louisiana in an exhibition, North Carolina Central, and Grambling. This season, they have one extra game scheduled against an HBCU.
The 2023-2024 slate of HBCU games was special for LSU, as then Lady Tiger Angel Reese made her triumphant return to Baltimore, Maryland, when the team faced off against Coppin State. Following the 80-48 victory, Reese spoke about how she would've loved to attend an HBCU.
“I mean, honestly, I would have loved to go to HBCU,” she said, answering a question about playing in HBCU venues such as Coppin & Morgan State and the support that the local communities showed her in those moments. “Having the resources and opportunities they don't, they're not the same, of course. But one day, being able to give back to a community like this, and being able to, you know, we came here and we had to pay them to play us. So being able to do that, of course, I remember my experience playing against Poly at Morgan was just like this. And being able to have the whole city coming out and so many people coming out tonight and supporting us has just been amazing for me.”
Although LSU has handidly won their matchups against HBCU programs, they narrowly escaped a 2022 NCAA Tournament upset over the Tomekia Reed led Jackson State Lady Tigers. They ultimately won 83-77, but fended off a Jackson State comeback attempt.
