LSU women’s basketball suffered an injury scare in the third quarter of Sunday’s Elite Eight game vs. No. 1 UCLA.
At the 1:22 mark of the third quarter at Spokane Arena in Spokane, Washington, Tigers forward star Aneesah Morrow took a hit to the face after colliding with teammate Sa’Myah Smith beneath the basket. She was tended to on the court for several moments by LSU’s training staff before leaving the floor holding a towel to her nose.
Following a brief trip to LSU’s locker room at the arena, Morrow returned to the game for the start of the fourth quarter, and did so not wearing a face mask or anything on her nose.
Here’s the latest on Morrow’s injury:
Aneesah Morrow injury update
ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported on the ABC broadcast that Morrow broke her nose. The injury occurred when UCLA’s Lauren Betts bumped Smith, knocking her back into Morrow.
Morrow exited the Tigers’ Elite Eight game against UCLA late in the third quarter. She later returned to the floor and finished the game.
‘I can confirm she has broken her nose. She is a tough young woman,’ Rowe said during her report. ‘She is going to tough it out right now. The swelling has already started but she is not going to let her team down in this moment’
The 6-foot-1 All-American forward is once again having a stellar season in Kim Mulkey’s fourth season down in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She entered Sunday’s Elite Eight game leading the nation in rebounding at 13.7 boards per game and offensive rebounds at 5.1 offensive rebounds per game.
As noted by LSU’s game notes, Morrow is the only player this season to have at least 650 points and at least 450 rebounds. She finished with 15 points and seven rebounds with a block and an assist in Sunday’s game vs. UCLA.
Aneesah Morrow denies broken nose
Following LSU’s 72-65 loss to UCLA, Morrow denied Rowe’s report that she broke her nose in Sunday’s game.
‘I don’t know who’s lying and saying my nose is broken,’ Morrow said in the Tigers’ postgame news conference. ‘My nose is bleeding. But I’m tough going to go out there and compete.’
Rowe would clarify as well, saying that she interpreted the word ‘busted’ as broken.
USA TODAY’s Nancy Armour contributed to this report
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This story was updated with new information from Morrow about her nose injury.