Key keywords: LSU women's basketball, transfer portal, NCAA women's basketball, Kim Mulkey, 2024 college basketball transfer window, LSU Tigers women's hoops, SEC women's basketball, college athlete transfer Baton Rouge, La. — The LSU women’s basketball program confirmed on Monday that two members of its 2023-2024 Elite Eight roster have officially entered the NCAA transfer portal, marking the latest roster shakeup for head coach Kim Mulkey’s squad in the early offseason. The two departing players, sophomore guard Last-Tear Poa and junior forward Kateri Poole, both spent at least two seasons with the Tigers, serving as key depth pieces for a team that won the 2023 NCAA National Championship and advanced to the regional final of the 2024 tournament before falling to Caitlin Clark and Iowa. Poa, a native of Australia, appeared in all 36 games for LSU during the 2023-2024 campaign, averaging 4.2 points, 1.8 assists and 1.1 rebounds per game while shooting 34% from 3-point range. She was a regular contributor off the bench, often brought in to provide perimeter defense and spark secondary scoring runs during the second unit’s minutes. Poole, who transferred to LSU from Ohio State ahead of the 2022-2023 season, played in 28 games this past year, posting averages of 3.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.9 steals per contest. Program insiders indicate both players chose to enter the portal to seek opportunities for larger on-court roles and more consistent starting minutes at other programs, as both were stuck behind higher-profile guards and forwards in Mulkey’s rotation for the majority of their LSU tenures. The news comes just weeks after LSU star forward Angel Reese declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft, where she was selected seventh overall by the Chicago Sky, and senior guard Flau’jae Johnson announced she would be returning for her junior season. The Tigers now face significant depth gaps in both their backcourt and frontcourt ahead of the 2024-2025 season, as they look to compete in an increasingly stacked SEC women’s basketball field that includes defending national champion South Carolina, a resurgent Tennessee program, and rising contenders like Ole Miss and Auburn. Mulkey, who has built a reputation as one of the top recruiters in women’s college basketball, is expected to prioritize adding guard and forward depth via the transfer portal over the next several weeks, before the spring 2024 transfer window closes on May 15. LSU currently has two top-10 high school recruits signed to its 2024 incoming class, but program analysts note that adding experienced transfer talent will be critical to keeping the Tigers in national title contention next year.