Following an impressive comeback victory over Alabama on Sunday, it appears as though LSU women’s basketball may have officially found their 2024 point guard. After putting on a show on both sides of the floor, Last-Tear Poa has set herself up for some extended playing time in the near future.
Last-Tear Poa is turning into the point guard LSU women’s basketball needed in 2024
With 20 minutes to go in the LSU women’s basketball vs. Alabama matchup on Sunday, the Tigers found themselves down 41-31, and nothing seemed to be going right. Each time the purple and gold landed some momentum, the Crimson Tide were able to immediately take it back with a big shot of their own.
It was clear that something needed to change, and as it turned out, defense would once again end up being the difference. To get the second half started, coach Kim Mulkey elected to start junior Last-Tear Poa at point guard to get some consistent defense in the game.
As it turned out, this ended up being an excellent move, and one that Mulkey would ride until the final buzzer. In the end, the Tigers pulled off a stunning 85-66 victory, and Poa was a major part of it.
It was a big game for her in every facet, and it was a showing that her teammates have been waiting for since she first stepped foot on campus in 2022. Following the victory, LSU women’s basketball star forward Angel Reese took some time to discuss the breakout junior.
“I love that from Poa. She plays a special kind of game,” Reese began when asked about the second-year Tiger guard. “She doesn’t look to score a lot, which I get on her a lot. She leaves a lot of shots on the floor that she can take, but she’s super unselfish, and her game starts on the defensive end. She takes charges, she goes at the best player and defends them, she gets the chippy calls and does the right things at the right time.
“I think you always need a player on your team like Poa. I’m glad it’s coming to her offensively now, so defensive of course leads to offense. I’m glad I was able to get that block, but that behind the back – we gotta take Poa out to dinner tonight.”
In her 30 minutes of action, Poa totaled 11 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Notably, she was able to keep her unique streak alive, taking multiple charges on the defensive end, continuing to put her body on the line for her team.
This was a big win for the purple and gold, and one that could end up defining this 2024 team. After searching for a consistent ball handler all season long, Last-Tear Poa at point guard may end up being the key to a late season run in March.
Journey to Baton Rouge
A product out of Melbourne, Australia, Poa took somewhat of a roundabout way to Baton Rouge. After beginning her women’s college basketball career at the JUCO level with Northwest Florida State College, Poa has now won national championships at multiple levels.
As a freshman, she helped to lead the Raiders to an NJCAA National Championship, beating Trinity Valley Community College 67-60. Interestingly enough, even despite being in her first season at the college level, Poa would be named NJCAA Tournament MVP, averaging 23 points per game, while shooting 44.9 percent during their championship run.
Continuing her rise through the ranks, Poa would then take her talents to LSU for her sophomore season, where she’d go on to win an NCAA Division I National Championship with the Tigers this past year.
Now, as a junior in 2024, it seems as though she’s only impressing more and more each game. If the junior point guard can continue to improve at the rate she has thus far, there’s no telling how high she can rise.
For now, though, it’s on to the next one, as LSU women’s basketball will make their way over to College Station, TX, to face off against Texas A&M in a 7:00 p.m. CST matchup next Monday, February 19.
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