The upset that obtained away: How South Carolina rallied to beat LSU

The South Carolina-LSU girls’s faculty basketball matchup everybody was trying ahead to changed into a down-to-the-wire thriller. However the end result saved the established order for the 2023-24 season. The No. 1 Gamecocks overcame a robust effort from the No. 9 Tigers for a 76-70 victory Thursday earlier than a full home at Pete Maravich Meeting Heart in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Followers arrived early, and there was nice anticipation for what coaches Daybreak Staley and Kim Mulkey can be carrying. The ESPN Faculty GameDay crew obtained into the spirit by eagerly shredding a Bayou King Cake in quest of the fortunate child.

LSU led by six factors after the primary quarter and by 5 at halftime. Nonetheless, after dominating most of their video games this season, the Gamecocks confirmed their potential to rally, outscoring the Tigers by 10 factors within the fourth quarter.

That included two large 3-pointers within the final three minutes by Gamecock junior guard Bree Corridor. They had been her solely two makes of the sport from behind the arc and got here at crunch time.

All 5 starters for each groups scored in double figures. LSU star Angel Reese fouling out with simply over 4 minutes left was a key second.

The Gamecocks have only one different presently ranked workforce left on their regular-season schedule: No. 8 UConn on Feb. 11. LSU does not have any. It is an odd season within the SEC with simply two groups ranked in late January. Will we see a Gamecocks-Tigers rematch within the SEC event? Most likely. And within the NCAA event? Probably.

We break down the present and what it informed us about each groups.

LSU led a lot of the recreation earlier than South Carolina took the lead within the fourth quarter. How did the Gamecocks rally to remain undefeated?

Creme: Greater than something, the Gamecocks remained poised. To return again on the street in that surroundings takes composure. Did you discover Staley on the sideline? Her expression by no means modified regardless of the sport’s depth. She was calm, and so was her workforce. With the opposing crowd whipped right into a frenzy, South Carolina was capable of execute the offense the best way it could in follow.

That is why the Gamecocks had been capable of make six of their final seven photographs. Corridor’s wide-open 3-pointers had been the 2 greatest. Kamilla Cardoso did not panic when she caught the ball within the put up, and the LSU protection converged. She made the best resolution discovering Corridor, and the passes had been on the mark. Corridor is a 48.5% 3-point shooter on the season (she was 2-for-4 from past the arc Thursday). Get her open like that, and it is no shock she delivered within the greatest moments.

play

South Carolina places LSU away with Raven Johnson’s clutch basket

No. 1 South Carolina stays undefeated after ending robust on the street in opposition to No. 9 LSU.

Voepel: Turning into a greater 3-point taking pictures workforce was an enormous level of emphasis this season by Staley. That was a must-fix for the Gamecocks after final season’s nationwide semifinal loss to Iowa. And Staley has accomplished so with personnel she added on the enjoying and training sides.

The Gamecocks had been 7 of 20 from behind the arc Thursday. Together with Corridor’s door-slammers within the fourth quarter, the three that MiLaysia Fulwiley hit simply earlier than the halftime buzzer modified the tone and momentum going into the locker room. And as Charlie mentioned, South Carolina saved its cool and did not make errors. This was a recreation the place just a few miscues on the flawed time made all of the distinction, and people had been by LSU.

Along with Reese fouling out with 4:02 remaining, what went flawed for LSU within the fourth quarter?

​​

Creme: That basically was the tipping level. LSU led 67-65 when Reese picked up her fifth. The Gamecocks outscored the Tigers 11-3 the remainder of the best way. Considerably neutralized by South Carolina’s dimension, Reese was nonetheless the Tigers’ second-leading scorer with 15 factors, and he or she had eight rebounds.

With out the most important menace down low, LSU stopped making an attempt to get the ball inside. The Tigers’ subsequent 5 possessions had been soar photographs. Hailey Van Lith’s 3-pointer that briefly tied the rating at 70 was the one one which went in. LSU had additionally dominated the glass within the first half. That disappeared within the fourth quarter when South Carolina held a 12-4 edge. Missed soar photographs with no offensive rebounding was an premature dangerous mixture for the Tigers.

play

Bree Corridor flushes a go-ahead 3 for South Carolina

South Carolina takes the lead after Bree Corridor drowns a 3-pointer.

Voepel: The Tigers’ offense went awry — a credit score to South Carolina. LSU scored simply 6 factors within the final 5½ minutes and made pricey errors. Reese being out for these remaining minutes was huge, however the Tigers additionally had a turnover by Van Lith, a failed putback by Aalyah Del Rosario and only one shot try by Aneesah Morrow within the last 4 minutes, though she led the workforce with 16 factors and was 7 of 11 from the sector.

​​

What’s one factor you realized about every workforce — good or dangerous — in Thursday’s recreation?

Creme: Regardless of the loss, LSU was spectacular. Aside from North Carolina within the first quarter of their Nov. 30 assembly with the Gamecocks, no workforce has had South Carolina on its heels like this. The expertise that the majority of us felt within the preseason was one of the best within the nation was on show for a lot of this recreation. However that expertise is relegated to the beginning 5. If Reese hadn’t fouled out, LSU’s starters would have all performed properly over half-hour. Mulkey did not actually belief her bench in an enormous second. That was telling and might be a difficulty in March.

This recreation additionally confirmed South Carolina might be had, however it’s going to take 40 minutes of execution to do it. The Tigers had about 36 minutes of successful basketball in them. Even at residence, that is not sufficient in opposition to the Gamecocks. South Carolina has a number of methods to win. This time it had nothing to do with the Gamecocks’ dominance, and every little thing to do with shot-making and execution when it counted.

Voepel: We knew coming in that South Carolina had the deeper bench. It confirmed Thursday with the Gamecocks getting 16 factors and 9 rebounds from Fulwiley, Sania Feagin and Ashlyn Watkins, who mixed had been 7 of 10 from the ground. When you might have that with a beginning 5 that’s enjoying rather well collectively, it is exhausting to carry off the Gamecocks, even for a workforce with as a lot expertise as LSU.

Kudos to starter Chloe Kitts, who had 14 factors on 6 of 9 taking pictures and compelled the LSU protection to concentrate. You may inform from video games like this how a lot Kitts benefited from her freshman season final 12 months competing in follow in opposition to former South Carolina celebrity Aliyah Boston, who was courtside to root for the Gamecocks.

South Carolina stays No. 1 general in Bracketology. What does this loss do to LSU?

Creme: The Gamecocks had firmly established themselves as one of the best workforce within the nation. A loss on the street in opposition to a top-10 convention rival wasn’t going to alter that. Win or lose, South Carolina was going to stay the No. 1 general workforce.

LSU had lots to achieve with a win — a soar from a No. 3 to a No. 2 seed. That will not occur, however the Tigers will not drop, both. They confirmed the committee extra Thursday than they’ve in most of their 18 wins. LSU was ninth general — the highest No. 3 seed — and the Tigers will stay a No. 3 seed in ESPN’s full Bracketology replace on Friday regardless of the loss.