Angel Reese vs. Kamilla Cardoso statistical comparison: Who is better?

Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso engaged in an intense defensive battle all night as No.1 South Carolina edged No. 9 LSU 76-70 in a thriller. Despite modest stats, Cardoso's gritty defense of Reese proved pivotal to the Gamecocks' comeback. South Carolina finally grabbed the lead with just over six minutes left, pulling out the victory partly.

The two players intensely exchanged looks whenever one blocked the other, culminating in a intense third quarter. Reese limited Cardoso to 11 points before fouling out late. She managed to score 15 points herself in the hard-fought contest.

As shining stars for their teams, the Reese vs. Cardoso matchup has sparked intense debate over who is better statistically.

---

Angel Reese vs. Kamilla Cardoso statistical comparison

LSU's Angel Reese rules as a forward while South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso anchors the center position, each a towering presence for their squad in the paint.

Reese's college career began when she joined the Maryland Terrapins in 2020. As a freshman, she started strong, but a Jones fracture surgery forced her to the bench upon return. In limited minutes across 15 games, she still impressed with 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Her sophomore season saw Reese become a full-time starter, averaging a double-double at 17.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per game - the first Maryland player to do so since 1975.

After two seasons with her hometown squad, Reese hit the transfer portal, alongside several other teammates, and took her talents to LSU. This move unlocked her WNBA-level talent as she helped LSU capture its first-ever national championship, dominating with 23 points and 15.4 rebounds per game.

Now in her senior season, Reese is averaging 19.6 points and 11.9 rebounds, leading LSU to a 18-3 overall record and 5-2 conference standing so far.

Kamilla Cardoso's college career began with the Syracuse Orange, where she made an immediate impact as a freshman starter. She averaged 13.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and a stunning 2.7 blocks per game, becoming the first Syracuse player ever to win ACC Freshman of the Year.

After one season, Cardoso transferred to South Carolina. As a sophomore backup to star Aliyah Boston, she contributed 5.4 points and 5.1 rebounds to help the Gamecocks clinch the national championship. Her junior season saw more of the same strong production off the bench at 9.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

Now in her senior season, Cardoso has moved into the starting lineup, averaging 13.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. Her dominant paint presence has propelled South Carolina to an undefeated 18-0 start.

In their college careers so far, both Reese and Cardoso have put up impressive numbers as paint presences for their teams. However, Reese has a slight edge statistically, with higher career scoring and rebounding averages. Though Cardoso bests her in blocks. Overall, Reese's phenomenal production and ability to take over games gives her the nod over Cardoso as the more dominant force statistically. But both are among the nation's elite.