No. 1 South Carolina escapes No. 9 LSU in top-10 matchup
Clutch Bree Hall shooting sees No. 1 South Carolina escape No. 9 LSU
Angel Reese frantically sprinted down the court in the fourth quarter of Thursday's blockbuster matchup between No. 1 South Carolina and No. 9 LSU, hoping to prevent Gamecock guard Raven Johnson from erasing LSU's narrow two-point advantage. Instead, the All-American's hustle produced something far worse: the straggling right hand of Reese connected with Johnson, and the "Bayou Barbie" picked up her fifth foul of the evening.
Thanks to Reese's absence and clutch shooting from veteran Bree Hall, South Carolina would end the game on a 9-2 run, erasing what was once an 11-point deficit and escaping Baton Rouge with a gutsy 76-70 victory.
Hall would open the evening's scoring as well, marking a rare bright spot for South Carolina in a first half where they would never lead again. Distilling the energy from a sold-out, whited-out Pete Maravich Center, hustle plays powered LSU to a dominant first-quarter display, leading by as much as 11. The Tigers secured seven offensive rebounds and four takeaways in the opening 10 minutes, growing their lead to 24-13 behind a balanced scoring attack — Aneesah Morrow lead the way with 10, while Hailey Van Lith poured in five of her own and star freshman Mikaylah Williams chipped in with four.
But to begin the second quarter, it was all Angel Reese, assuaging concerns as to whether she could lead LSU's thin front court against the dominant USC interior duo of Kamilla Cardoso and Ashlyn Watkins. Reese scored eight of LSU's first 10 points, in the second quarter proving unguardable around the basket and excelling on the defensive end as well — Watkins and Cardoso combined for a single field goal attempt and three personal fouls in the opening 19 minutes of action.
Decidedly out toughed in the opening half, legendary coach Dawn Staley evoked a thunderous response from her ball club. After ending the first half with a -9 margin on the glass, South Carolina would ultimately win the rebounding battle by a pair, using this toughness to erase a 41-36 halftime deficit.
A 6-2 spurt out of the locker room for the Gamecocks ended with an assured stare down from Cardoso after rejecting Reese's shot into the whited-out crowd, and Reese would return the favor after a block of her own moments later. As tensions continued to simmer, South Carolina would again narrow the deficit down to one, but a Hailey Van Lith jumper would restore LSU's two-possession lead heading into the final period of play.
Carried by the resilient scoring of Chloe Kitts, who buoyed South Carolina amid double-digit deficits, along with first-and-second quarter buzzer beaters from Te-Hina Paopao and MiLaysia Fulwiley, the Gamecocks turned to an unlikely hero with the game tied at 67 late in regulation.
Unfazed by a meager 2-6 return on the afternoon or the Gamecocks' uncharacteristic struggles from deep — entering Saturday with an NCAA-record 44.1 percent three-point clip, South Carolina had shot just 5-18 before Hall's attempts — Hall turned excellent passes from Cardoso into a pair of clutch threes. Leading 73-70 with the clock ticking inside of 40 seconds, Johnson iced the game for USC with a tough floater before splitting a pair of free throws, bringing the final score to 76-70.
🔥 Hall ball: Clutch shooting from Bree Hall gives Gamecocks late lead
For a team that had proved transcendent from the three-point stripe, — South Carolina entered Thursday with a NCAA-record 44.1 percent clip from the perimeter — shooting woes had affected the Gamecocks all evening long in Baton Rouge. But as the Gamecocks entered the final three minutes tied at 67, their quality from deep shone through when it mattered most.
With LSU defenders tumbling in the painted area, desperately attempt to limit USC's presence in the paint after star forward Angel Reese had fouled out minutes earlier, Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso found Bree Hall all alone on the right wing, who drained the three. One of the few upperclassmen on the Gamecock roster, Hall stepped up in the clutch once again on a nearly identical possession, as Cardoso delivered a brilliant touch pass to Hall in the right corner and Hall hit nothing but nylon. South Carolina leads 73-70 with just over a minute remaining.
ANOTHA ONE, THANK YOU!!
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB)
📺 ESPN |
👋 Hey, hey, hey: Angel Reese fouls out with four minutes remaining
After a flubbed inbounds pass from Hailey Van Lith catalyzed another deadly South Carolina attack in transition, Angel Reese sprinted back on defense to prevent a Raven Johnson layup. Instead, her hustle produced something far more costly. The desperate Reese struck the right arm of Johnson, and the LSU star, who had so admirably battled against South Carolina's star-studded front-court, had fouled out with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Johnson sunk both attempts at the line, and the two teams entered the final four minutes of play deadlocked at 67.
🐓 Carolina in front: USC takes first lead since 2-0 in fourth quarter
With the game deadlocked at 61 and South Carolina angling toward its first lead since the waking moments of Thursday's game, a contentious moment minutes earlier loomed large. Tangled in a mass of bodies, LSU's All-American Angel Reese grabbed on to the shirt of opposing post Kamilla Cardoso, promptly whistled for her fourth foul and consigned to the bench.
Taking advantage of LSU's missing interior fortitude, South Carolina funneled the ball into Cardoso, who tossed her defender to the hardwood and converted an easy two. South Carolina now leads 63-61, with a tantalyzing finish in store at the Pete Maravich Center.
MILLA FOR THE LEAD!! APPROVES!
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB)
📺 ESPN |
➡️ Into the 4th: LSU maintains narrow lead
Just 10 more minutes remaining in a thrilling back-and-forth between America's most recent national champions. Trailing by as much as 12, South Carolina trimmed the deficit to just a point on two occasions and looked set to take its first lead since the score was 2-0.
However, Aneesah Morrow stepped up with an answer on both occasions, first nailing a jumper and later setting up Hailey Van Lith for a crucial jumper. LSU leads by four, 56-52, entering the final quarter of play
😐 Louisiana staredown: Tension between Reese, Cardoso brews as South Carolina narrows gap
With South Carolina continuing to rally from a breakneck LSU start, star center Kamilla Cardoso capped off a quick 7-2 run in style, swatting an Angel Reese post attempt into the whited-out crowd and delivering an assured stare back toward the All-American. Her team's lead dwindled to just one at 43-42, LSU's Aneesah Morrow continued her hot night with a clutch jumper off the baseline out of bounds.
Later leading by five, Reese ensured she wouldn't be outdone by her interior counterpart. The All-American notched a block of her own, staring daggers back towards Cardoso before converting a layup at the other end. Tensions continue to flare at the Pete Maravich Center Thursday, so make sure you follow along as these two team's near the final quarter of play.
Kamilla Cardoso vs. Angel Reese 🍿🔥
— ESPN (@espn)
📺 ESPN
💥 With a bang: Fulwiley buzzer-beater trims deficit at half
Despite allowing Kamilla Cardoso to snap her early goose-egg with an and-one finish, LSU found themselves in an excellent position: leading by eight with 28 seconds remaining in the first half, the Tigers could hold for the final shot and hopefully enter the locker room with a double-digit advantage. Instead, Hailey Van Lith attacked the basket a bit too early, short-arming her floater off the front rim and providing the lethal South Carolina offense with one final opportunity in transition.
Surging down the floor, USC's Raven Johnson found a trailing MiLaysia Fulwiley along the right wing, and the freshman's perimeter attempt rolled through the nylon as the halftime buzzer sounded. So despite a thorough domination after 20 minutes — LSU finished with a +9 margin on the boards — Fulwiley's second triple of the game ensures the Gamecocks trail just 41-36 entering halftime.
SHE DOES IT AGAIN 😱 at the buzzer to bring us within 🖐️ at the half!!
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB)
🐔 36 | 41 🐯
😇 Angelic: Reese dominates as LSU extends lead
With the two most recent national champions squaring off in Baton Rouge Thursday, many prognosticators looked at LSU's thin front court pensively, wondering if Angel Reese could stand up to USC's dominant interior duo of Kamilla Cardoso and Ashlyn Watkins. Clearly, message received from the Tigers' All-American post, who has dominated through 15 minutes.
Shedding off helpless Gamecock defenders, Reese has totaled 11 points, six rebounds and three assists, also performing admirably on the defensive end — Watkins and Cardoso have combined for just a single field goal attempt and three personal fouls.
Owning the paint 😤 x 🎥 ESPN /
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB)
Even the LSU bench has contributed to LSU's dominance down low, as 6'6" backup center Aalyah Del Rosario finished through contact out of the second quarter media timeout, giving LSU a 36-25 edge and a chance to give her Tigers a game-high 12-point lead at the line.
🕒 First quarter update: Hustle plays put LSU up big
Distilling the energy from a raucous sell-out crowd at the Pete Maravich Center to begin Thursday's blockbuster affair, LSU boldly imposed its will on No. 1 South Carolina to take a nearly unprecedented lead over the Gamecocks.
Seven offensive rebounds and four takeaways helped LSU build an 11-point first quarter lead, matching USC's largest deficit of the season, as did a balanced scoring attack. Aneesah Morrow led the way with ten first quarter points, swishing a pair of threes, but Angel Reese pitched in with a dominant quarter on the interior and Hailey Van Lith snapped a recent cold spell with five early points.
South Carolina's Te-Hina Paopao stepped up with in with a crucial veteran play to end the quarter, however, drilling a three just before the buzzer as trimming the Gamecock deficit to 24-18 despite a lackluster quarter.
PAOPAO AT THE BUZZER 💪
— South Carolina Women's Basketball (@GamecockWBB)
📺 ESPN |
🤑 Morrow is money: LSU leads at first media timeout
Shooting just 19 percent from the perimeter on the season, LSU's Aneesah Morrow has stepped up in front of the bright lights and a whited-out Pete Maravich Center. Morrow nailed her first two attempts from three, combining with three early LSU takeaways to help the Tigers build an early 12-8 lead.
Chloe Kitts answered immediately, however, sticking a three from the left wing, and an emphatic Kamilla Cardoso rejection sent South Carolina into the first media timeout down just 12-11.
ANEESAH DOWNRIGHT DIRTY
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb)
📺ESPN
🚨 Live from Baton Rouge: South Carolina-LSU underway
The most anticipated matchup of the women's college basketball season thus far is underway in Baton Rouge, as South Carolina's Kamilla Cardoso wins the opening tip over LSU's Angel Reese.
Follow along all evening long for updates, scores and more!
⚕️Injury report: Tessa Johnson expected to play
The most significant moment of South Carolina's Sunday afternoon tilt against Texas A&M in College Station came midway through the second quarter. It wasn't a pivotal basket or a gritty defensive stand — a decisive 25-8 first period had long since decided the outcome — but an inconspicuous rebound attempt where Tessa Johnson appeared to injure her ankle.
Johnson, who has averaged an efficient, six-point scoring punch off the bench this season, returned from the locker room in a boot and street clothes, but an encouraging prognosis out of Columbia this week suggests the freshman will play Thursday.
"She may not be 100%, but they’ll have to guard her," coach Dawn Staley said about Johnson, who participated in practice Wednesday.
Meanwhile, LSU remains without the services of Sa'Myah Smith, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in November. As such, LSU faces acute depth concerns in the front court against USC's elite pairing of Kamilla Cardoso and Ashlyn Watkins.
🍿 Gamecocks vs. Lady Tigers, previewed
The Gamecocks have proven to be inevitable this season — yes, in reference to Thanos. They're untouchable shooting from afar, with a nation-leading 3PT percentage (44.09); invulnerable in allowing just 52.1 opponent points per game, and the best scoring margin in the league at +38.6; authoritative in the block, swatting just about nine balls per game, also the most of any team in the country. Seventeen games in, the Gamecocks are the lone undefeated college basketball team in the country, billowing through their first four ranked matchups like clockwork.
But for the first time this season, Dawn Staley might just have a challenge on her hands.
Enter the reigning national champions, with a still-impressive 15-2 record. The preseason No. 1 Tigers suffered some early-season embarrassment at the hands of Frida Formann and the CU Buffs, falling in a double-digit catastrophe that took three 100+ point games thereafter to get the bad taste out of their mouths. Since, LSU has only faltered in a five-point loss to Auburn, but has maintained the top scoring offense in the country (91.6 PPG). Angel Reese is the freshly-minted SEC Player of the Week after notching a combined 36 points and 33 boards in her two most recent contests, and combined with stellar guards Mikaylah Williams, Hailey Van Lith and Aneesah Morrow, the LSU scoring effort proves difficult to shake.
Examining how the Tigers will penetrate Gamecock territory might be the most intriguing tidbit of this game, as every player on the South Carolina roster is a two-way threat. Take center Kamilla Cardoso for example: in her past six games, she's notched five double-doubles, and 12 steals. MiLaysia Fulwiley and Te-Hina Paopao are lethal in the backcourt, combining for 399 points this season and 61 turnovers.
With its most recent win over Texas A&M, South Carolina notched its 27th straight road victory, the longest away streak in SEC history. The Tigers are a perfect 12-0 at home this year, posting a 29-game win streak in the Maravich Center.
An expectant sold-out game, tickets are now retailing anywhere from $64-$1.6k on SeatGeek. Streaks, reputations and post-season standings are on the line — tune in on Thursday to see if the Tigers can put a chink in South Carolina's armor.
🎤 College GameDay in Baton Rouge!
The ESPN crew is bussing to Baton Rouge for the first of five women's college basketball shows this season. The likes of Andraya Carter, Elle Duncan, Rebecca Lobo and more will be covering the nationally-televised game — check out the full arena schedule below:
Who's ready for Thursday?!
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb)
Starting at 3:30 p.m. CT we will have a party on the plaza south of the PMAC and we will open the PMAC doors at 5:30 to give fans time to be in their seat when begins at 6:00!
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