Alexis Morris, Angel Reese Talk Final Four Experience, Preview Virginia Tech

The dynamic duo is locked in for their semifinal matchup against the Hokies.

It's now or never for Kim Mulkey and her LSU Tigers as they prepare for their Final Four matchup against No. 1 seed Virginia Tech. 

All-American forward Angel Reese has the chance to continue cementing her legacy in Baton Rouge after propelling the Tigers to their first Final Four since 2008, but she has even bigger plans. 

Along with Reese, her sidekick Alexis Morris is dialed in for Friday night. A homecoming for Morris, she returns to Texas where she was raised to play in front of her friends and family. 

The two addressed the media on Thursday ahead of their matchup against the Hokies.

Full quotes from both Angel Reese and Alexis Morris during Final Four Media Day:

Q. For both players, would you talk about the last four days and the gamut of your emotions and how this is different from being in the NCAA Tournament, being at the Final Four.

ANGEL REESE: I was just telling my teammates I don't think it's hit me yet that I'm actually in a Final Four. It's just like another game, another tournament. I'm actually in the Final Four.

I don't realize how big this is yet. Maybe when I see the arena tomorrow, yeah, tomorrow, and like get to the game. But I'm excited.

We're trying to keep our emotions down of course because this is a lot of our first time. Just trying to be focused. We've been really focused on scout these last four days, so just being able to do what we've been doing all year.

ALEXIS MORRIS: Like Angel said.

Q. You have a lot of young fans, girls and boys, who look up to you. I'm curious how you prepare yourself to show up to play for them and how you show up for your team and also the young ballers?

ANGEL REESE: I'm at a point where everything I do is being watched, so just trying to be a leader and trying to influence the youth. I've always had people when I was younger to look up to. Just being that person when they get older -- I don't know if you saw that picture of me and Seimone when I was young, 7 or 8, and she was in the WNBA. Hopefully one day I can remake that picture with someone.

I never know the impact on somebody's life and how somebody's day is going. So I just try and inspire as much as I can.

Q. Angel, you mentioned you guys are really focused on the scout. I want to know what types of information is most useful to you from the scouting report.

ANGEL REESE: Personnel. Just paying attention to your player that you'll be guarding or players that you'll potentially be guarding, knowing their tendencies, knowing their positives and negatives. Just knowing their strengths and weaknesses. I think that's important within the season.

Right now you can look at the conference, out of conference, and look at NCAA and how they're performing right now. So just being able to pay attention right now.

ALEXIS MORRIS: I agree personnel is most important. Knowing their tendencies, team tendencies, offense and defense. Just details to small things, sweating the small things.

Q. Lex, back in your home state also. How are you feeling? But where's your cowboy hat?

ALEXIS MORRIS: When I seen Coach Mulkey coming down the stairs in her cowboy hat, I was like, man, I wanted to wear mine. I forgot to put it on.

I'm super excited. I've changed my goal now. I'm in Dallas. Now I want to have my senior night on Sunday. My focus has shifted. I know my team focus is the same as mine.

Q. I saw a report last night, and I want to get both of you guys' thoughts on it, where walk up to the door, standing room tickets for the women's Final Four is more expensive than the men's tournament in Houston. As a player in women's basketball right now -- this show is just as valuable as elsewhere?

ANGEL REESE: It's exciting. I'm happy. The tickets are expensive, and it's tough probably on us because we can't get that many tickets. So it's exciting the women's game is growing.

Being able to see that many people coming to our games -- honestly, when I came to LSU, I knew what it was going to be. We get 15,000 fans coming to our games, even on the off-night.

Just seeing the game growing like this and in a Final Four for the first time, I'm just excited, and I'm excited to see all the people that are coming tomorrow.

ALEXIS MORRIS: I think the most exciting part about it is being a part of history. We're literally watching the game grow and change right in front of our faces, and we're playing a huge part in it. It's an honor, and I'm just super excited to be a part of it.

I'm watching Angel, like Angel is one of the main faces, and it's inspiring as well.

Q. Angel, the matchup with Liz, people are going to be talking a lot about that. How do you balance trying to put your imprint on a game like this, but not trying to do too much to win a matchup like that?

ANGEL REESE: It's never about a matchup. It's all a team effort. We're going to take her as any other post player we played all year. We played South Carolina as well.

So just being able to pay attention to detail, like I said, on scout, knowing her tendencies, the positive and the negative. All together, we're going to have to take care of her. Not just her, they're also a great team. They play together as a great team.

I don't think they could win with just her. I think we have to take care of business all five positions, and everybody has to guard the ball.

Q. Angel and Alexis, if you guys both want to answer this. You guys obviously saw Seimone's statue go up outside the arena. You guys have been part of this -- "resurrection" may be too strong a word, but you know what I mean, the rebuilding of LSU. What does it mean to you to be part of that, and the feeling you're getting from these longtime LSU fans who remember the Sylvia Fowles days and the Seimone Augustus days that they're able to experience this with you?

ANGEL REESE: When I came to LSU, I told Coach Mulkey, I wanted to bring this program back to where it was. And Coach Starkey was already here with them on the Final Four run. Just being able to do it for the fans, they waited a long time to see this program get back to where they want it to be. So just being able to do it for them and making history again, just coming back to what Alexis said. I'm excited.

ALEXIS MORRIS: When I played at Texas A&M, I was with Coach Starkey. He would talk about his days at LSU. E just loved LSU. I'm like, Coach, I think you should go back home. You love LSU. And I'm actually here now, and I can experience it, and I feel what he was talking about when I was at Texas A&M. The fans, the history -- it's like a marathon.

It's just so exciting to be a part of it and to be part of the rebuild. I came -- I rejoined Coach Mulkey to rebuild the program. So it's just an amazing feeling.

Q. How important has Kateri Poole been over the last three, four games on this tournament run, and how do you expect her to perform?

ALEXIS MORRIS: Kateri has been a key piece to our success. She's taken every role that Coach has asked her to be, whether a point guard position, a defensive stopper. Whatever it is, she's been coachable and willing to do whatever the team needs.

It also helps me being confident in another guard with experience. She's been amazing. She's been a great piece to our puzzle.

Q. Angel, what have you seen from Lex knowing this is her home state? She's shifted her focus now, and this is -- I mean, could potentially be it for her with you at LSU?

ANGEL REESE: I know Lex has been on a journey, and there's no better place than finishing at home. I know this is exciting for her. I'm happy for her that she never gave up, and being able to be in this moment where she has rise.

I know she's not done yet, but just to see how much she's grown throughout the season and her maturity is amazing. Being able to do it, not just for Alexis, but all the Texas girls able to come back home. I know Sa'Myah, we went to DeSoto yesterday, so being able to play at her court.

I think it's really fun for all of us.

Q. Angel, you're obviously at the top of the women's game on the court, but also with NIL deals. How have you been balancing being at the top both on and off the court, and like particularly during the tournament?

ANGEL REESE: It's been a lot. I kind of set myself to only post on certain days. Today, before 12:00 is the last time I'll be posting. So just trying to have a schedule of everything going on because social media has taken over.

NIL is just what the game has come to. It is hard and stressful, but the lady I work with, Janine, she has been amazing and has helped me with a lot of this stuff. So shout out to her, but it's hard. It's hard.

Q. For both ladies, I know LSU has been to this Final Four five different times but never gotten to the championships. Kim obviously has. Has she told you that anything changes when you get here? Anything to be prepared for? Anything to take that next step?

ANGEL REESE: It's win or go home. I mean, the teams that stay together, the teams that fight together, the teams that just are focused, those are the teams that excel to the championship game.

She's been to championship games, and she has won championship games. She even told us in the Sweet 16 game, she said, y'all get us to the Elite Eight, and we can get you to the Final Four. Now it's you win this game, I'll get you to the championship and win that championship.

So just trusting in the coaches. Of course they've been here before. And just trying to believe as much as we can.

ALEXIS MORRIS: What Angel said, but I'm also going to say, I think all four teams here are great teams. We're all good teams. We wouldn't be in the Final Four if we weren't. But I think the teams who have made it to this point were the mental tough teams, and the team who's going to be the last one standing, it will be based on who can be the more mental tough team.

It's going to be based off who can fight through adversity, who can fight through bad calls, who can fight through physicality. It's going to come down to the little things. We've been preparing for this, for these moments.