No love lost: South Carolina WBB outlasts rival LSU in down-to-wire battle
South Carolina women’s basketball celebrated Valentine’s Day with a big rivalry win on Saturday night.
Dawn Staley and the No. 3 Gamecocks beat No. 6 LSU 79-72 in front of a sold-out crowd at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. USC carried a one-point lead into the game’s final minute and pulled away in the last 25 seconds for the seven-point victory.
It was Staley’s 500th win as USC’s coach.
South Carolina (25-2, 11-1 SEC) has now won 18 straight games over LSU and strengthened its grasp on the No. 1 spot in the conference standings.
“I think this team sees the end of the tunnel, meaning they know we’re at the end of the season,” Staley said. “So it’s a little bit easier to just focus in on what we have in front of us. And this was a big one. This was a huge game in front of us, huge game on the road, and just a hostile environment, Very, very NCAA Tournament-like, and we just found a way to win. I think this team is finding ways to win, a lot of different ways. Especially when … we’re not fully healthy.”
Back and forth from start to finish
You can count it being a close game when South Carolina and LSU play. Entering Saturday’s showdown, just one of the last five matchups has been decided by more than 10 points.
It was close again Saturday night.
LSU (22-4, 8-4) led most of the first half. The Tigers outshot the Gamecocks 47.1% to 35% in the first quarter and held a 21-16 lead after the first quarter as a result.
Both teams shot the lights out in the second quarter. South Carolina shot 56.3%, while LSU shot a blistering 66.7% from the floor as a team. The Tigers led by as many as six in the second quarter, but South Carolina was able to claw its way back. The Gamecocks outscored LSU 25-19 in the second quarter to take a 41-40 lead into halftime.
South Carolina maintained its lead in the third quarter. The Gamecocks built up to an eight-point lead halfway through the third quarter, their largest lead of the game. South Carolina outscored LSU 19-15 in the third quarter to take a 60-55 lead into the final period of the game.
LSU cut USC’s lead to one point with about a minute to go in the game. The Gamecocks dealt with foul trouble late as each of their five starters all had at least three fouls (two players had four fouls) heading into the final two minutes of the game.
South Carolina star forward Joyce Edwards fouled out with 45.5 seconds left in the game. LSU star Flau’jae Johnson had a shot to give the Tigers the lead shortly after but missed a pair of free throws. USC kept a 73-72 lead as a result.
A layup from Madina Okot, who finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds, gave South Carolina a 75-72 lead with 25 seconds left in the game. Okot and Raven Johnson both added free throws late to clinch the win.
“I thought LSU got multiple offensive rebounds at the end of the game that put them in a position to close the gap, to go ahead,” Staley said. “Then at the end, we got lucky. Flau’jae (Johnson) doesn’t miss free throws. And we actually got a bucket after that. It’s those kinds of plays that are determining the game.”
Johnson & Johnson lead the offense
Raven Johnson and Tessa Johnson led the way for South Carolina in scoring.
Tessa Johnson helped South Carolina recapture the lead in the first half with her hot shooting. She scored 16 points in the first half, 11 of which came in the second quarter. The junior made four 3-pointers in the first half. She finished with 21 points.
“I liked everything we did, except I didn’t like the way we guarded Tessa. We didn’t do what we were told to do for three days,” LSU’s Kim Mulkey said.
Raven Johnson also notched double digits, scoring a career-high 19. She scored 11 points in the first half and six in the final quarter.
“Raven Johnson is a winner,” Staley told ESPN. “Look it up in the dictionary. Look it up on your iPhones. Raven Johnson is a winner. She makes plays — winning plays — and she did that tonight.”
How did MiLaysia Fulwiley play?
Fulwiley played in her first game against her former team Saturday. The LSU guard is a Columbia native and played her first two seasons of college ball for Staley and the Gamecocks.
Fulwiley was given a standing ovation from the sold-out LSU crowd when she checked into the game in the first quarter. She turned the ball over a few seconds later but made up for it with a steal on the other side of the court.
The junior played 10 minutes in the first half and totaled four points, had three turnovers, two steals and two rebounds.
Fulwiley’s production was similar in the second half. She finished the game with six points (1 of 8 shooting).
Injury note
South Carolina was without Maddy McDaniel and Adhel Tac against LSU.
Tac had a boot on her left foot while on the bench. McDaniel has now missed the last two games.
McDaniel, who had a boot on her left foot last week when she missed the Tennessee game, went through early warmups with South Carolina and did not wear a boot on the bench Saturday.
South Carolina WBB’s next four games
- Thursday, Feb. 19 at Alabama, 8:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Sunday, Feb. 22 vs. Ole Miss, 12 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
- Thursday, Feb. 26 vs. Missouri, 8 p.m. (SEC Network)
- Sunday, March 1 at Kentucky, 2 p.m. (SEC Network Plus)
This story was originally published February 14, 2026 at 10:55 PM.
