Kamilla Cardoso apologizes for role in on-court incident during LSU-South Carolina game
South Carolina women’s basketball center Kamilla Cardoso issued an apology Sunday night for her role in an on-court skirmish with an LSU player in the SEC championship game early that afternoon.
Cardoso was ejected from the game with roughly two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of USC’s 79-72 win over LSU at Bon Secours Wellness Arena after shoving LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson to the ground at midcourt.
Cardoso was coming to the defense of other USC teammates. Before she shoved Johnson, the sophomore LSU guard had intentionally fouled South Carolina freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley, which led to Johnson and South Carolina forward Ashlyn Watkins exchanging words and Johnson making contact with Watkins.
In a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter) at 6:48 p.m. Sunday, Cardoso wrote: “I would like to extend my sincerest apologies for my actions during today’s game. My behavior was not representative of who I am as a person or the South Carolina program, and I deeply regret any discomfort or inconvenience it may have caused.”
“I take full responsibility for my actions and assure you that I am committed to conducting myself with the utmost respect and sportsmanship in the future.”
According to the ESPN broadcast, Cardoso will be suspended from USC’s first NCAA Tournament game as a result of her ejection. South Carolina continues to project as the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s bracket and will almost certainly play a No. 16 seed in a first round home game at Colonial Life Arena in two weeks. No other players will be suspended as a result of the altercation.
In her postgame news conference, USC coach Dawn Staley said that LSU’s Johnson, who was not ejected for her role in the skirmish, approached her after the final buzzer to apologize.
“She said she’s not that kind of player,” Staley said, adding that she appreciated Johnson’s gesture and wanted to highlight it publicly because otherwise “it wouldn’t get out there.”
Here’s more from Staley postgame about the incident:
“What you saw was two highly competitive teams trying to win a conference championship, and we did not handle it well. ... I want to say thank you to the officials and everyone else who jumped in (to de-escalate). … The penalties were what they were and well within the rules. ...
“I’ll take responsibility for what happened from our side of it. ... We talk about these things as a team, and we try to as much as possible express to them how not to react. ... But real time is real time.
“Kamilla, everybody else, I know if they had a chance to do it over again, they’d do it differently. … I don’t want people tuning into women’s basketball and thinking this is our game. … Our game is beautiful. ... But this, unfortunately, is part of it — we’ve got to get that figured out (as a sport).
“Kamilla understands. She really understands. I think if you talked to her about things she’d say she let emotions get the best of her. She’s gotta handle them better, gotta control them, because she’s that important to our team and the women’s game.”
This story was originally published March 10, 2024 at 7:00 PM.
