Aneesah Morrow’s prolific college career ends with cemented legacy

Morrow stood there for 30 seconds after committing the foul that ended her game, prolonging her last trip to the bench to stretch for as many seconds as possible. While Mulkey found a player to enter the game in her place, fans around the arena — particularly those in purple and gold — began to stand and give Morrow’s college career the sendoff it deserved. Everyone in Spokane Arena seemed to recognize the poignant moment.

The senior forward couldn’t totally hide her disappointment. But the standing ovation continued as she slowly made her way down the bench to the end, where she would stand the remainder of the game, hoping that somehow, a miracle would extend her college playing career for even just one more game.

But there was no magic turnaround. UCLA continued to convert their free-throws to ice the game. It ended 72-65 in favor of the Bruins, moving UCLA on to the Final Four and officially ending Morrow’s storied college basketball career.

“Honestly, I’m just grateful for the opportunity,” Morrow told media after the game. “A lot of people don’t get the opportunity that I get and that I receive just to be able to come to LSU. I feel like they helped me not only mature on the basketball floor, but as a person.”

Forever in the record books

The Chicago-native spent her first two years of college playing in her hometown for DePaul University. As a freshman, she led the nation in rebounds per game with 13.8 and led the BIG EAST with 2.7 steals per game. Morrow also scored an average of 21.9 points per game that season. As a sophomore, she led her conference in rebounding and steals again while averaging 25.7 points per game.

After two outstanding years with the Blue Demons, Morrow transferred to LSU in search of a new challenge and the opportunity to play for a top-tier SEC program against some of the best teams in the country. As a junior, she dominated alongside Chicago Sky star Angel Reese and averaged 10 rebounds and 16.4 points per game.

This season, Morrow took on a slightly bigger role without Reese. She once again led the nation in rebounding, with 13.7 per game, and scored an average of 18.8 points per contest.

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Over 139 games in her college career, Morrow averaged a double-double of 20.5 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. She is one of just two players in NCAA DI history with over 100 double-doubles, wrapping up her career with 104. Morrow finished with 1,714 total rebounds in her career, the third most in NCAA DI history.

“You wish you had an Aneesah every time you walked on a court every day, because you knew what you were getting from her and her effort,” Mulkey said. “It didn’t matter how banged up she was, how hurt she felt. Nees only knows how to play, and that’s hard. And she will take this loss extremely hard because that’s how she was raised. Give me the Aneesah Morrows of the world every day.”

The LSU difference

LSU guards Flau’Jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams, alongside Morrow, somberly stared down at a final box score from the loss as they sat on the dais in front of media waiting for Mulkey to arrive and the presser to start. It did not take long for the players to increasingly show their sadness. But their strong emotions were attached to deep gratitude.

“I would say, honestly, my first practice coming in here, I was up for a challenge,” Morrow said. “And just seeing how much that I persevered, not only on the basketball floor, but with my teammates. I know that they have my back and I have they back far beyond LSU, and I’m grateful for that because you don’t always get to experience teammates like that.”

Morrow had been holding back her tears while she sat in front of media, but when she turned to coach Mulkey to thank her for everything, she could not fight them anymore. Both Johnson and Williams gently lent their hands to Morrow for support while Mulkey pulled her shoulder towards her. With Johnson sitting between them, Mulkey turned Morrow’s chin to look directly at her so she could speak directly to the graduating forward. After a supportive pat on the back, Morrow sat back in her seat.

While Morrow took a moment to collect herself, the moderator asked Williams to answer the same question, but Morrow said she wasn’t done.

“Coach Mulkey challenged me to be a better person, to be a better player, and she challenged me to be able to make it in the real world,” Morrow said as the tears finally began to streak down her face. “She keep it real with you, she show you how it is, and honestly, I’m just grateful for that. I said that I wanted to leave DePaul and find my second family, and I did that. They have had my back through it all. They have encouraged me throughout the process, and I know that it was hard being away from your family and, honestly, experiencing a culture shock.”

Morrow continued as the tears flowed unfettered, and she did not stop to wipe them away as she got through her statement. The only interruption from there were those uncontrollable sniffles that seem to happen exclusively when people cry their hardest.

“I had to grow up a lot,” Morrow said. “I put a lot on my shoulders to come out and do what I did every night. Nobody in the country did what I did every night. Nobody in the country have done what I did over the four years, and I’m honestly just proud of myself for overcoming as much as I’ve overcame and being able to do it at the biggest level.”

Only once she emphatically finished her statement of gratitude did Morrow sit back and, at last, wipe away her tears.

The three students were dismissed from the dais and Morrow was ready to leave, but Mulkey grabbed her arm as she walked past. Mulkey pulled Morrow over and down towards where she was sitting so she could say something to her with as much privacy as possible in a press conference. Another pat on the back sent Morrow on her way.

It was Mulkey’s turn to answer questions from the media. Before Mulkey addressed the first question she was asked Sunday, she made sure everyone knew where Morrow’s emotions were coming from.

“The saddest day of your life as a student-athlete in basketball is when you take that jersey off your senior year and you never put it on again,” Mulkey said. “Now, some will go on and play pro ball, but that’s why Nees is so emotional. That’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re a senior.”

Although Morrow’s college playing career has come to an end, it is not the end of her basketball journey. The 22-year-old will hope to hear her name called during the 2025 WNBA Draft on April 14, where she is expected to be picked late in the first round or early in the second.

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