The two games Angel Reese has played inside Physical Education Complex Arena were one day shy of two years apart.

What she saw and felt Wednesday night with LSU women's basketball compared to her sophomore season at Maryland was the definitive eye-opening sign of the Baltimore native's impact on not only her hometown but women's basketball, too.

No. 7 LSU walked away with the 80-48 win over the Eagles but for both sides on this particular night, the scoreboard mattered the least.

Reese and the Tigers playing at Coppin State was about home.

"When I was younger, I wanted an opportunity and moment that could stretch my mind," said Reese after scoring 26 points with six rebounds. "I'm at a point where I've stretched a lot of young girls' minds and little boys' mind that they know they can be in this position one day. Being able to be a leader, somebody they look up to is something I've embraced. I have great representation, not only in Baltimore but the world.

"This is my home. I was the Baltimore Barbie before I was the Bayou Barbie."

Coppin State has never sold out a home game for either a men's or women's basketball game. It's players took their home court with 4,000 people in the stands.

The impact of that, Eagles coach Jermaine Woods said after the game, is immeasurable due to the prospect of his program gaining new supporters. Plus, the ticket sales and money the team made will go a long way.

"When they travel, it's a show," Woods said. "Tonight was not only a big night for the HBCU culture but for what we needed budgetary-wise. We did well off of this game and it's going to help us supplement our budget. I want to make sure I give (LSU coach Kim Mulkey) credit for that."

Fans of Reese, LSU and Coppin State were in the seats 90 minutes before tipoff and before that, the line to get into the area wrapped around the building. Young girls held up signs, extended hands for handshakes and to catch a word with Reese and her LSU teammates.

Her following on social media and demand for her has grown since helping the Tigers defeat Caitlin Clark and Iowa to win their first NCAA championship back in April. That's been felt for months.

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But the impact received a visceral visual at Coppin State, something Mulkey called special and just as important for LSU.

"If you look at our ratings every time we play, it doesn't matter who we play, the ratings are just crazy. They're better than pro sports. And you saw an arena tonight that sold out a long time ago and it's because of Angel Reese, it's because of the national championship," Mulkey said. "It's because of how we play the game. It was very visible tonight.

"It's not just here, if you follow us in the SEC, go look at the attendance at the games when we're on the road. And just leaving the area after the game, you can't get out of the arena without people wanting an autograph or a picture. Our team has brought that much recognition and attention and that's good for not just us but it's good for women's basketball."

Without Baltimore, Reese doesn't achieve what she has over the last two years. The city made her.

Her return trip home since becoming one of women's basketball's biggest stars brought a greater understanding of the role she plays in growing the game.

"Coming back here and doing a lot for this community and see that, like a lot of little girls, they can have this opportunity was something that was important to me," Reese said.

"They love me here, right or wrong, up or down. Baltimore has always had my back. Coming back to a community that will always love me was something that was super special to my teammates tonight."

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: How LSU women's basketball playing at Coppin State showed Angel Reese's impact