Biden calls LSU's Angel Reese, coach Mulkey to extend congratulations

President Biden on Friday spoke with Louisiana State University (LSU) women's basketball star Angel Reese and head coach Kim Mulkey to congratulate them on their championship win earlier in the week after Reese had been critical of the White House after the game.

Biden spoke with Mulkey and with University of Connecticut men's basketball head coach Dan Hurley, whose team won their championship game on Monday, to extend congratulations and invite them and their teams to the White House. No dates for those visits have been set, the White House said.

Biden separately called Reese "to congratulate her on LSU’s historic season and championship win."

LSU defeated Iowa, 102-85, in Sunday's women's championship game, which set viewership records for a women's basketball game.

First lady Jill Biden was in attendance, but she sparked controversy when after the game she said she would ask the president about inviting Iowa to join LSU for the traditional White House visit. Only championship teams are typically invited to the White House.

Reese in particular was outspoken about the first lady's comments, questioning whether LSU would have been invited as a runner-up. She suggested LSU would instead meet with the Obama's, rebuffed an attempt to walk back the first lady's comments, and took issue with the president's bracket predictions not picking the Tigers to advance deep into the tournament.

On Friday, Reese relented and indicated she would join her team in making the trip to the White House.

“In the beginning we were hurt. It was emotional because we know how hard we worked all year for everything,” Reese said on “SportsCenter.”

“You don’t get that experience ever,” she added, referring to visiting the White House. “And I know my team probably wants to go for sure, and my coaches are supportive of that, so I’m going to do what’s best for the team, and we’ve decided we’re going to go.”