COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina reaffirmed its dominance in the Southeastern Conference with a decisive win over LSU, ending the No. 5 Tigers’ undefeated run this season. The No. 2 Gamecocks (19-1, 7-0 SEC) secured a 66-56 victory on Friday night, bolstered by 14 points from Joyce Edwards and their signature strong defensive performance.

Head coach Kim Mulkey of LSU remarked on the challenge posed by South Carolina’s roster filled with talent, as they boast an impressive lineup that includes multiple McDonald’s All-Americans. “I don’t know that I’ve ever coached against a team that has 10 McDonald’s All-Americans on the roster. How do you even keep 10 on the roster?” Mulkey said.

With this triumph, South Carolina has extended its impressive streak against SEC opponents, marking their 54th consecutive regular-season win in conference play. The Gamecocks’ strong performance highlighted the depth of their team, with eight players logging over 15 minutes of play. Notable contributions came from Sania Feagin, who delivered 12 points, alongside seven rebounds and three blocks.

South Carolina’s only setback this season was a loss to No. 1 UCLA back in November; since then, they have been on a 13-game winning streak, with seven victories coming against ranked teams. Senior player Bree Hall highlighted the team’s resilience in the face of doubts expressed on social media, saying that criticism has helped fuel their performance.

The triumph over LSU marks the Gamecocks’ 17th straight win against the Tigers and their fifth in a row since Mulkey’s arrival as head coach. Recent encounters between the two teams have been intense, with memories of a heated SEC Tournament match last March still fresh, during which an incident involving Flau’jae Johnson led to a court-related disturbance and subsequent legal issues for a spectator.

This latest victory was crucial for South Carolina as they vie for a second consecutive national title and a potential third in four years. Coach Staley emphasized the significance of this win, which also gives the Gamecocks an edge in any potential tiebreaker scenarios in the SEC standings and enhances their prospects for a high seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

The Gamecocks established control during the third quarter, limiting LSU to a dismal 5-for-20 shooting performance, and pulling ahead for a solid lead. Junior Raven Johnson noted that her team has risen to the challenge following an injury to one of their key players, Ashlyn Watkins, and the loss to UCLA early on served as a wake-up call. “We knew we couldn’t come back the same as last year; we’ve got to bring something else to the table because teams are coming at us,” Johnson reflected. “I think that loss helped us.”