GREENVILLE, S.C. — LSU showcased its explosive offense on Friday afternoon, pouring in a tournament-leading 112 points in a quarterfinal win over Oklahoma in the women’s SEC Tournament. Now the Tigers face a familiar obstacle: South Carolina.
Senior guard Flau’jae Johnson is still searching for her first career victory against the Gamecocks, as LSU has dropped 18 straight matchups to the conference powerhouse. An upset over South Carolina would be significant, especially with the Gamecocks pursuing their fourth consecutive SEC Tournament title.
South Carolina controlled the opening possession and quickly looked to establish Madina Okot inside. Although she missed her first put-back attempt, senior guard Ta’Niya Latson drove into the lane and found Okot again near the rim for an easy layup to get the scoring started.
The first three minutes were played at a frantic pace. Rather than settling into half-court sets, both teams pushed the tempo, racing up and down the floor and scoring within the first 10 seconds of the shot clock.
As the Gamecocks attempted to create some separation midway through the first quarter, they ran into a familiar face. Former South Carolina guard and LSU’s Sixth Woman of the Year, MiLaysia Fulwiley, provided an immediate spark off the bench. Fulwiley scored on back-to-back possessions to keep the game even.
A pair of LSU turnovers briefly ignited the Gamecock-heavy crowd, but the Tigers managed to weather the moment. At the end of the first quarter, South Carolina held a narrow 21–17 lead.
LSU opened the second quarter with a more aggressive offensive approach, led by guards Fulwiley and Richard. At the 7:30 mark, Fulwiley stripped Joyce Edwards while she drove toward the basket and converted the steal into an easy transition layup. After completing the three-point play at the free-throw line, LSU grabbed its first lead of the game about four minutes into the quarter.
South Carolina responded with a key defensive play of its own. Joyce Edwards intercepted a pass and pushed the ball in transition before kicking it out to junior guard Tessa Johnson in the corner. Known by fans as “Tournament Tessa,” Johnson buried the three-pointer to tie the game at 29 with just over three minutes remaining in the half.
LSU closed the half strong, taking a 40–36 lead into the break. Although South Carolina forced more turnovers, the Tigers controlled the glass, outrebounding the Gamecocks 24–15 in the first half. Fulwiley fueled LSU’s surge with an 11-point second quarter, accounting for nearly half of the Tigers’ 23 points in the period.
The third quarter began with sloppy play from both teams, as multiple turnovers occurred during the first two minutes. South Carolina eventually regained its rhythm behind senior point guard Raven Johnson.
During a three-minute stretch midway through the quarter, Johnson delivered a momentum-shifting sequence that included a block, a transition bucket, and a three-pointer. With five minutes remaining in the period, the Gamecocks had reclaimed the lead, 46–42.
Johnson continued to lead the charge late in the quarter, scoring two of South Carolina’s final three baskets, including a pivot turnaround fadeaway just before the buzzer. The Gamecocks entered the fourth quarter ahead 59–54.
LSU opened the final period with another costly turnover, but the Tigers soon settled down offensively. Once again, Fulwiley provided the spark, knocking down a three-pointer with 6:10 remaining to cut the deficit to two points.
Despite LSU’s push, South Carolina continued to dominate the turnover battle and capitalize on Tiger mistakes. The Gamecocks scored 15 points off LSU’s 14 turnovers, a key factor in maintaining their lead down the stretch.
Fulwiley delivered one of her strongest performances against her former team, finishing with 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting. Raven Johnson led South Carolina with 22 points, continuing to demonstrate her ability to both score and lead the Gamecocks in high-pressure moments.
In the end, South Carolina’s defensive pressure and timely scoring proved decisive. The Gamecocks secured an 83–77 victory in Greenville, extending their winning streak over LSU to 19 games.
With the win, South Carolina advances to the SEC Tournament semifinals, where it will face the winner of Texas vs. Ole Miss in Game 2.
