LSU vs. South Carolina. It was the matchup everyone was waiting to see. The matchup everyone expected to see to close out the 2023 season. Caitlin Clark and Iowa stepped in between the two titans, however, pulling the upset over South Carolina in the semifinals and forcing basketball fans to wait more than nine months to see the Gamecocks square off with Angel Reese and LSU. With a runway of that length leading into this clash, it would be hard for the game to live up to the hype. But the game delivered on its lofty promise and after a hard-fought battle, it was the Gamecocks proving themselves worthy of their no. 1 ranking with a 76-70 victory in Baton Rouge, La.
No. 9 LSU entered Thursday’s game as the defending champions, carrying with it the confidence and swagger you’d expect from a national power. But for all the Tigers’ success, they had struggled to solve the Gamecocks. USC rolled into the game with a 14-game winning streak against LSU, dating back to 2012.
It looked as though that streak was in jeopardy early as LSU embarked on a 9-0 run at the tail end of the first quarter to take an 11-point lead. The deficit matched the largest the Gamecocks had faced all season. The crowd was certainly a factor early, fueling LSU’s run. The raucous environment didn’t seem to faze Chloe Kitts (14 points), however, as she looked cool and composed while scoring nine of USC’s first 15 points.
Throughout the second quarter, the Tigers stretched the lead into double digits but failed to land the crucial blows necessary to bury the Gamecocks. South Carolina weathered the storm and closed the first half on a 6-0 run, trimming LSU’s advantage to five at the break.
LSU entered the fourth quarter up four, but there were signs the momentum was swinging in favor of the Gamecocks. With 8:20 remaining, LSU star forward Angel Reese (15 points, 8 rebounds) was forced to the bench with her fourth foul. Moments later, Te-Hina Paopao’s (12 points, 6 assists) foul shots tied the game at 61-61. Kamilla Cardoso (11 points, 8 rebounds) worked herself free in the post on the following possession to give USC its first lead since the opening minute. LSU head coach Kim Mulkey could feel the energy shift and called on Reese to return to the game. LSU regrouped, rallied and regained the lead in less than a minute. But Reese fouled Raven Johnson (13 points) in transition, committing her fifth foul and eliminating LSU’s biggest weapon from the game.
USC took full advantage of Reese’s absence down the stretch. Bree Hall (10 points) shined late, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in crunch time, the second of which gave the Gamecocks a three-point lead with just 1:11 on the clock. Johnson drove the lane on the next trip down the floor, laying it in over multiple defenders to put the game out of reach. USC didn’t wilt under pressure, making six of its final seven shots from the field to secure the win, its 1,000th as a program.
With the victory, South Carolina (18-0, 6-0) extended its road winning streak to 28 games and snapped LSU’s 29-game home winning streak. USC returns home to play host to Vanderbilt at 3 p.m., Sunday.
Final Stats
