No.1 South Carolina Escapes Upset to Beat LSU, 76-70

The top-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks narrowly avoided an upset against the LSU Tigers, securing a hard-fought 76-70 victory in a thrilling SEC women’s college basketball clash. The crowd of 13,205 spectators in Baton Rouge witnessed an intense battle as South Carolina had to rally from behind for nearly 33 minutes to maintain their unbeaten record.

It was Bree Hall, the junior guard, who played a crucial role in South Carolina’s triumph. Hall sank two crucial three-pointers, including one from the corner with 1:14 remaining, breaking a tie and giving her team the lead for good. Despite struggling for most of the game and falling behind by as many as 11 points, South Carolina capitalized on LSU’s loss of Angel Reese, who fouled out with 4:02 left on the clock. The Gamecocks finished the game strong with an 11-3 run.

South Carolina’s balanced scoring attack featured seven players who contributed six or more points, with Chloe Kitts leading the way with 14 points. Kamilla Cardoso, the 6-foot-7 senior, had 11 points on 11 shot attempts and grabbed eight rebounds, helping the Gamecocks dominate the boards with a 39-37 advantage. LSU initially controlled the rebounding battle, but Reese’s absence in the crucial moments made a significant difference, as acknowledged by both LSU Coach Kim Mulkey and South Carolina Coach Dawn Staley.

The Tigers’ Angel Reese proved to be a major factor in the game, and her loss due to fouling out with just over four minutes remaining was a significant blow for LSU. LSU guard Hailey Van Lith’s three-pointer tied the game at 70-70 with 1:42 left, but Bree Hall responded with another clutch three-pointer to put South Carolina back in the lead. Raven Johnson then sealed the victory with a layup in the final seconds.

This was the only regular-season meeting between the two teams, but it is likely they will face each other again in the SEC Tournament.