LSU Tigers land another top transfer portal target in Aneesah Morrow
LSU women's basketball has done it again.
Kim Mulkey and her coaching staff has pulled DePaul's Aneesah Morrow from the transfer portal to join the Tigers in 2023.
Morrow chose the Tigers over USC and South Carolina, after visiting LSU just last week.
?????? Let’s GEAUX!! #WelcomeToTheShow pic.twitter.com/N5Vqte4Ud9
— Kim Mulkey (@KimMulkey) May 5, 2023
The Illinois native was the second rated target in the portal, and LSU basketball pulled in the number one target Hailey Van Lith last week.
The 6-foot-1 forward has already played two season at DePaul where she averaged nearly 26 points a game as relentless rebounder and scorer.
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"I'm never intimidated by playing against or playing on a team with amazing, talented players," Morrow, a rising junior, told ESPN. "That's what I want to be surrounded around. I want to be around players who are going to make me better. I feel like we're going to challenge each other on a day-to-day basis. We all have the same end goal, and that's to win the national championship, to win the conference."
She'll join Angel Reese who set the SEC record for double-doubles in the 2022-23 season with the Tigers. Morrow is no slouch in that chase either as she recorded 53 double-doubles in 66 games played.
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) May 5, 2023
Morrow lead the Big East in rebounds per game in each of her first two seasons and averaged 12 boards per game last year.
– All-America forward Annesah Morrow announced her decision Friday to transfer to play basketball at LSU.
“As a true competitor, I always dreamed of playing for a top-tier program,” Morrow said. “LSU's rich history, support and passion for all sports teams caught my attention. The atmosphere on my official visit was electric, and the fan base is incredibly passionate about their team. I was drawn to this kind of environment because I've always dreamed about playing for a university that had that. Furthermore, the opportunity to play in the SEC against some of the nation's best teams.”
With the addition of Morrow, LSU has landed the top two players in this year’s portal. Hailey Van Lith, the top-rated player in this year’s portal announced her decision to transfer to LSU last Thursday. Morrow is the No. 2 rated player in this year’s portal according to ESPN.
“Aneesah is coming to LSU as one of the premier scorers and rebounders in the country over the past two seasons,” Coach Kim Mulkey said. “She has the ability to stretch the floor offensively with her range and brings an aggressive style of play that Tiger fans are going to love. We are excited to welcome Aneesah to Baton Rouge!”
The Tigers were already bringing back numerous pieces from its national championship team like All-America Angel Reese and SEC Freshman of the Year Flau’jae Johnson. With the additions of Morrow from DePaul and Van Lith from Louisville along with the nation’s top rated incoming freshmen class, the Tigers are loaded with talent going into the 2023-24 season.
Along with Johnson and Reese, Morrow was selected on Thursday to take part in the 2023 USA Women’s Basketball AmeriCup Team Trials May 11-15 in Colorado Springs. LSU is the only school in the country with three participants at the team trials. UCLA and USC are the only other two programs with multiple participants.
Morrow has tallied a double-double in 53 of 66 career games. She led the Big East in rebounding the past two seasons and was second only to Villanova’s All-American Maddy Siegrist in scoring both of those years.
The Chicago native Morrow averaged 25.7 points (No. 4 in NCAA) and 12.2 rebounds (No. 7 in NCAA) per game last season. She and Reese were the only two players in the country to rank inside the top 10 in the nation in both scoring and rebounding.
Right from the start of her college career, Morrow showed the type of impact she can make. Morrow’s first college season saw her be named the National Freshman of the Year by both the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and the Women’s Basketball Coach’s Association. During her freshman season at DePaul in 2021-22, Morrow started all 33 games and led the team scoring 21.9 points while grabbing 13.8 rebounds per game. She ranked No. 3 in the nation in field goals, No. 6 in total points, No. 9 in steals and No. 11 in both points per game and defensive rebounds per game.
Morrow had a stretch during her freshman year where she scored 30+ points and grabbed 10+ rebounds in three consecutive games, becoming the first player since 2010 to accomplish that feat in college basketball.
Morrow played high school ball at Simeon High School where she led the program to a 35-2 record in its first state championship (Class 3A) in 2020. She was a First Team All-Illinois selection as a senior.
Aneesah Morrow quotes:
What was it about LSU that gave you initial interest and what led you ultimately join the Tigers? “As a true competitor, I always dreamed of playing for a top-tier program. LSU's rich history, support and passion for all sports teams caught my attention. The atmosphere on my official visit was electric, and the fan base is incredibly passionate about their team. I was drawn to this kind of environment because I've always dreamed about playing for a university that had that. Furthermore, the opportunity to play in the SEC against some of the nation's best teams.”
What excites you about the opportunities you will have at LSU?
“What excites me most about joining the Tigers is the potential for growth both on and off the court. LSU offers excellent academic support that will allow me to excel academically while also focusing on my game. Additionally, being surrounded by talented players who have experienced success at the highest level will only help me develop further as a player. I am confident that I can contribute positively towards achieving continued success for LSU in the years ahead.”
With the players that LSU has returning from the National Championship, how do you see your game fitting with theirs to allow LSU to have continued success on the court?
“Signing with LSU was a tough decision considering my top three choices. However, the university has a great basketball program with an enthusiastic fan base and provides ample opportunities for personal growth both on and off the court. With so many talented players returning from a championship-winning season, I plan on bringing my own unique skills set into helping push LSU towards continued success in seasons to come.”