Columbia, SC—-The rivalry between South Carolina and LSU has become one of the most intense in women’s college basketball, and Friday night’s matchup lived up to the hype. The Gamecocks and Tigers hadn’t met since last year’s SEC Championship, a game remembered as a controversial “black eye” for the conference. This time, the stakes were just as high, with No. 5 LSU entering Columbia as one of the last two remaining undefeated teams, while No. 2 South Carolina had been dominant since an early-season setback.
Fast Start and First Half Battle:
LSU won the opening tip, and Aneesah Morrow wasted no time attacking the basket for an easy layup. South Carolina responded immediately, with Bree Hall knocking down a three-pointer. Unlike their typical slow starts, the Gamecocks came out firing, scoring on their first three possessions—all from different players—while capitalizing on LSU turnovers.
Despite South Carolina’s strong start, LSU held a slight edge after the first break, leading 16-11 with 4:45 left in the opening quarter. By the end of the period, the game remained tight, with both teams nearly even in rebounds and turnovers, but the Tigers clung to a 22-21 lead.
Sania Feagin and Milaysia Fulwiley paced the Gamecocks offensively, while Raven Johnson made her presence felt on defense, recording two steals in the first half. LSU struggled late in the second quarter, missing its last four shots and committing two turnovers, allowing South Carolina to enter halftime with a slim 33-30 advantage.
“I think we’re pretty locked in (on defense),” Staley said. “I think they really are connected. They understand that we’re pretty good. They do. They understand that, and they understand why we’re good. And that is our gap defense is pretty good, our scramble out when teams get ahead of the possession, and then we’ve just got to fight to just go get the basketball. Tonight, the blocked shots were impressive. “Just our grit. Our grit was great. You need to have all those things to be the team like LSU.”
Gamecocks Take Control in the Second Half:
Midway through the third quarter, South Carolina’s defense turned up the pressure. Raven Johnson spearheaded the effort with a pair of steals, converting them into quick buckets to extend the Gamecocks’ lead.
LSU found itself in foul trouble early in the fourth quarter, with four of its starters picking up three fouls by the 8:14 mark. The mounting fouls, combined with South Carolina’s relentless defensive effort, made it difficult for the Tigers to keep pace.
South Carolina Secures Statement Win:
Despite a strong fight from LSU, South Carolina’s depth and defensive intensity proved too much to overcome. Aneesah Morrow delivered a strong performance for the Tigers with 15 points and 16 rebounds, while Flau’jae Johnson added 13 points. However, the Gamecocks’ balanced attack, led by Joyce Edwards with 14 points and Sania Feagin with 12 points and seven rebounds, secured a 66-56 victory, handing LSU its first loss of the season.
With the win, South Carolina extended its home winning streak to 69 games and its SEC regular-season winning streak to 54.
“We made some adjustments in the second quarter to eliminate their easy buckets—we had to clean that up,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said postgame.
What’s Next?
South Carolina will hit the road to face Tennessee on Monday, January 27, while LSU looks to bounce back when it hosts Oklahoma on January 30.
