Update: Basketball Queen Kim Mulkey Speaks On Suspension Of Angel Reese: 'That's All You Need To Know'

HAMMOND, La. - The "Queen" of Women's Basketball Kim Mulkey has left the building.

"Bayou Barbie" Angel Reese never entered it.

Mulkey and her seventh-ranked LSU team did not need the All-American Reese to win, 73-50, at Southeastern Louisiana, Friday night. But she was the story of the game even though she was not present after being indefinitely suspended this week.

LSU coach Kim Mulkey did not elaborate a lot on her suspension of superstar Angel Reese after the Tigers won at Southeastern Louisiana Friday night. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

"You want me to explain why? It's very obvious. Angel was not here," Mulkey said after LSU won in front of a record crowd of 7,500 at the Pride Roofing University Center in Mulkey's hometown. "Angel is a part of this basketball team, and we hope to see her sooner than later."

LSU (4-1) next plays Monday at home against Texas Southern.

Reese, the spiritual leader and soul of LSU's national championship team last season, earned the nickname "Bayou Barbie" last season as she gained fame and Name, Image & Likeness fortune throughout LSU's magical 34-2 season.

But Mulkey benched her before the second half of LSU's previous game last Tuesday against Kent State for lackadaisical play, sources said. She took an ill-advised three-pointer early in that game. Reese also appeared winded throughout then-No. 1 LSU's loss in its season opener to No. 20 Colorado in Las Vegas on Nov. 6.

LSU's Angel Reese Not At Game

OutKick reported Friday that Reese may have been suspended earlier this week. She was.

"I'm not going to answer any more," Mulkey said before question No. 1 was even asked. "That's all you all need to know."

Could you imagine a men's coach pulling this stunt if one of the nation's best men's players suddenly disappeared?

LSU never released that Reese was suspended, but sources confirmed she was. In the game story on LSU's website, it only quotes Mulkey saying what she said in her first quote above.

Angel Reese (right) celebrates with Flau'jae Johnson after a win over Virginia Tech in a national semifinal last season at the Final Four in Dallas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

A Baton Rouge media outlet said, "We don't definitively know whether Reese is suspended," though Reese was not said to be ill or on leave for a funeral or other issue. It would follow that she was suspended. The same outlet intimated in the same paragraph as above, however, that Reese may be under discipline.

"Few would ever expect her (Mulkey) to reveal the reason for a player being disciplined," the outlet said.

"Discipline?" Sure sounds like a suspension.

Unlike Mulkey, who makes $3.6 million a year, LSU play-by-play announcer Patrick Wright did do his job before the game. He said in the LSU pregame show that Reese would not be available.

"Angel Reese is not with the team for this game," Wright said at courtside shortly before a taped interview with Mulkey.

Mulkey had no comment on Reese before the game. Neither did LSU's sports information department.

In Wright's pre-game interview of Mulkey, he did not ask her about Reese, following a request from Mulkey.

LSU's Kim Mulkey Mostly Mum On Angel Reese

The MVP of the Final Four last season, Reese led LSU to victory over Iowa and Caitlin Clark for the school's first basketball national title last season.

"Angel Reese not in the lineup," Wright said while listing LSU's starters just before tip-off. "She is not with the team."

When asked about Reese's status on Thursday for Friday's game, Mulkey said only, "I guess you better have a ticket to see, huh. All right, you better get a ticket and see."

Angel Reese taunts Iowa star Caitlin Clark (22) after LSU won the national championship last season with a win over Iowa at American Airlines Center in Dallas. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Angel Reese won the ESPY for Best Breakthrough Athlete after last season. The famous Sports Illustrated Swim Suit issue featured her. And she graced the cover of the Sports Illustrated Money Issue along with LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne for their multi-million dollar Name, Image & Likeness deals.

Reese led the nation in double-doubles last season with an NCAA record 34 and finished second in rebounding with 15.4 a game. She was fifth nationally in scoring with 23 points a game.

After unprofessionally not answering questions about Reese, Kim Mulkey proceeded to tell others how to do their job.

"That ought to be in the headline," she told reporters of the record crowd of 7,500. "I'd like to see how many of you do that."

Not here. But thanks for the tip.