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South Carolina Beats LSU

By PassThaBall, 01/26/25, 8:15PM PST

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No. 2 South Carolina handed No. 5 LSU its first loss of the season on Friday night, securing a 66-56 victory in front of an electric crowd at Colonial Life Arena. The Gamecocks (19-1, 7-0 SEC) continued their dominance, extending their streak of victories against Associated Press Top 25 opponents to four consecutive games.

In a highly anticipated clash between two top-five teams, the game delivered all the intensity expected. South Carolina and LSU remained neck and neck throughout the first half, with neither team holding a lead larger than seven points. The first half featured 11 lead changes and three ties, underscoring how evenly matched the teams were. LSU managed to edge South Carolina on the boards, out-rebounding the Gamecocks 28-19, but neither team found a clear upper hand early on.

The first quarter showcased offensive firepower from both teams, as LSU shot 50% from the field to claim a 22-21 lead. However, both offenses cooled significantly in the second quarter. LSU’s shooting plummeted to 15%, while South Carolina wasn’t much better at 17.6%. Despite their struggles, the Gamecocks outscored LSU 12-8 in the period, heading into halftime with a narrow 33-30 advantage.

“I thought we were forced to play a certain way tonight,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said. “It was just the gravity of the game. It was necessary for us to win this game. The implications of the SEC standings, the NCAA Tournament — all of those things matter.”

South Carolina broke the game open midway through the third quarter with an 8-0 run that shifted the momentum firmly in their favor. Chloe Kitts kicked off the surge with two free throws. After a few empty possessions, Te-Hina Paopao added a layup, and Sania Feagin’s defensive steal led to an easy bucket for Raven Johnson. Johnson’s hustle didn’t stop there; she intercepted LSU’s in-bounds pass immediately afterward and scored another basket, sending the crowd into a frenzy and forcing LSU to call a timeout. The run gave South Carolina a 45-36 lead, its largest margin of the game at that point.

LSU entered the game boasting the No. 3 scoring offense in the nation, averaging 90.6 points per game, but the Tigers struggled mightily against South Carolina’s suffocating defense. LSU managed just 56 points — their lowest total of the season — and shot a mere 30% from the field. Key stretches without a field goal hampered the Tigers, including a five-minute drought in the second quarter and a nearly nine-minute scoreless stretch spanning the third and fourth quarters.

South Carolina’s defense was relentless, forcing 17 turnovers while racking up 13 steals and 11 blocks. The Gamecocks’ ability to disrupt LSU’s rhythm and capitalize on mistakes proved to be the difference in a hard-fought contest.

With the victory, South Carolina solidified its position atop the SEC standings and further bolstered its NCAA Tournament resume. For LSU, the loss marked an end to its undefeated start but also highlighted areas for improvement as the Tigers look to bounce back in conference play.