Last-Tear Poa injury update: Guard taken to local hospital for further evaluation after scary collapse
LSU guard Last-Tear Poa is being taken to a Greenville, South Carolina-area hospital for further evaluation after sustaining a scary head and neck injury in the fourth quarter of an SEC Tournament semifinal vs. Ole Miss. Poa was stretchered off the floor after an extended stoppage.
Shortly after she was taken from the arena and off for further evaluation, ESPNU sideline reporter Brooke Weisbrod shared that Poa was being taken from the arena to a local hospital. Poa had been placed in a protective neck brace and stabilized on a board, common procedures for someone with an undiagnosed head and neck injury.
And after attending to Poa along with medical staff on the floor, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey came back to her huddle and reassured her distraught players, noting that Poa had been moving her extremities and limbs prior to being removed, according to Weisbrod.
Poa went back down after initially trying to get up following the injury
After initially staying down for a number of minutes, Poa got up with the help of her teammates but was clearly struggling to support herself on her own two feet. After trainers came over to help her off the floor, she was shortly laid back down.
Then the stretcher was taken out to Poa, who was put in a neck brace and stabilized on a back board to prevent further displacement or her head and neck. It’s a common precaution when transporting anyone with an unidentified head and neck injury.
As Poa was stretchered out of the arena, a chant of “Po-a! Po-a!” broke out in the arena as visibly distressed LSU players tried to regain their composure.
ESPNU sideline reporter Brooke Weisbrod shared that in the LSU huddle, as emotions bubbled over at the sight of their hurt teammate, forward Angel Reese worked to assure teammates that Poa would be OK. Then after returning to the huddle, Mulkey brought her players in close and told them their teammate was going to be OK and had movement in her limbs.
Guard Flau’jae Johnson was visibly upset, and turned that feeling into motivation to get the win for her teammate.
After hitting a big 3 later in the quarter to help ice the game, Johnson smacked her chest a handful of times, visibly yelling “This is for Poa!” as she got back on defense.
And the Tigers got it done for Poa, advancing to the SEC Championship Game on Sunday afternoon.