The highly anticipated matchup between 6th-ranked LSU and 3rd-ranked South Carolina lived up to the hype, but despite a raucous crowd, black jerseys worn by LSU, and an ABC Television audience, LSU could not beat the Gamecocks as USC left the PMAC with a 79-72 victory.
South Carolina has won 73 of its last 76 games in SEC games and has defeated the Lady Tigers 18 times in a row.
Key moment of the game: LSU never led in the second half, but had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. Flau’jae Johnson missed two free throws with LSU down by one point and with 45-seconds left on the clock. LSU failed to score the rest of the way, and South Carolina scored the final six points to salt the game away.
Free throws were the difference: Johnson’s missed free throws were symbolic, because that was the difference in the game. LSU was 14-of-23 from the free-throw line, while South Carolina was 15-of-17.
“When you miss nine free throws, you are not going to beat a team as good as South Carolina,” head coach Kim Mulkey said.
Entering the game, LSU shot 77% from the free-throw line as a team in SEC games. They just didn’t go down on Saturday night.
Tough shooting night for a couple of Lady Tigers: Sophomore point guard Jada Richard was 1-of-10 from the field. Richard was also 1-of-10 from the field in the loss to Texas on February 5th. MiLaysia Fulwiley also had a tough night shooting, 1-for-8 from the field against her former team.
Despite the loss, LSU did a lot of things well: LSU outrebounded a bigger South Carolina team 46-37. Amiya Joyner had 13 rebounds. The Lady Tigers had 18 offensive rebounds. LSU held South Carolina to 42-percent shooting, and the Lady Tigers’ bench outscored South Carolina 18-9.
The two missed free throws by Johnson will keep her up at night; however, she played a great game, scoring 21 points and grabbing eight rebounds.
South Carolina was led by Tessa Johnson, who had 21 points. Mulkey believes they could have played better defense on her.
What’s Next: LSU falls to 22-4 overall, 8-4 in the SEC. The Lady Tigers will have a tough game coming up against 14th ranked Ole Miss.
“Never waste a failure, so we are not going to waste this loss,” Johnson said. “We are definitely going to definitely learn from this loss and grow from it. We have to be intentional about these last couple of games we have, and then going into the NCAA Tournament and then the Big Dance.”
LSU has just four regular-season games left.