LSU guard Last-Tear Poa's availability for season opener vs Eastern KY remains uncertain after lawsuit reports
LSU guard Last-Tear Poa remained mum on her whereabouts hours before the Lady Tigers' 2024-25 women's college basketball season opener against Eastern Kentucky.
Her silence over the past few days has affected her status with the team. Coach Kim Mulkey ruled Poa out for Monday's clash against the Colonels, which will begin at 8 p.m. ET in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
Team officials backed up Mulkey's previous statement, saying that Poa's absence is personal and not related to a lawsuit she filed against the USCIS.
Poa's absence would not only mean that LSU is missing one part of its dreaded guard rotation, but also that they'll miss the services of their most experienced player.
It can be recalled that the Australian basketball player suffered a concussion after a hard fall during last season's SEC Tournament.
LSU handled a similar incident last year with Angel Reese
Last-Tear Poa's sudden absence from the team isn't new for LSU, as the Lady Tigers handled almost the same situation with star center Angel Reese.
Reese went missing in action at the start of the 2023-24 season in November, as rumors about grades or negative attitudes toward her team began to affect her mental well-being.
Coach Kim Mulkey kept herself from speaking about the real reason behind Reese's departure.
Then, in the debut episode of her podcast in September, Reese aired the real reason for her absence. The Chicago Sky forward disclosed that she took time off the court to address her mental situation. She also wanted to avoid becoming a locker room cancer that could affect the team's performance during the 2023-24 regular season.
Reese admitted she was affected by the statements appearing on social media following LSU's season-opening loss to Colorado. It caused her to take a respite from basketball.
The former Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament asked Mulkey's permission to take time off and the veteran coach approved it. She missed the Cayman Islands Classic.
The absence helped Reese continue in the 2023-24 season and get LSU to make the Elite Eight.
As of this moment, Last-Tear Poa hasn't shared her version of her absence from the team. Only a photo from Instagram where she posted a video of herself with her hair colored red has been put out.
LSU can rely on senior guard Shayeann Day-Wilson and freshman Jada Richard if Poa's absence persists for the coming weeks.
Will Last-Tear Poa's absence affect the LSU Lady Tigers' first game against Eastern Kentucky? Let us know your views in the comments section.