No. 6 LSU Falls 83-77 To South Carolina In SEC Tournament Semifinals, Losing Streak Reaches 19

By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter

LSU’s losing streak against South Carolina extended to 19 games after its 83-77 loss in Saturday’s SEC Tournament semifinals at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.

LSU (27-5, 12-4 Southeastern Conference) broke down defensively in the fourth quarter, allowing South Carolina to shoot 10-of-18 over the final 10 minutes. Head coach Kim Mulkey said the team’s failure to execute down the stretch ultimately cost them the game.

“There’s just a small margin of error that you can have to beat elite teams,” Mulkey said after the loss. “We think we’re an elite team, but we’re not there to win those close games against the South Carolinas, the UConns.”

Junior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley shined against her former team in the loss, scoring 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting.

“I was just staying confident, just believing in myself, believing in all the work I put in,” Fulwiley said after the game. “My teammates did a great job finding me, and I just made sure I made the baskets”

South Carolina (31-2, 15-1 SEC) pushed its lead to seven after scoring inside to open the fourth quarter. Just when it seemed LSU was losing momentum, the Tigers began to rally. Using their speed in transition, LSU went on a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to one with eight minutes remaining. Fulwiley later tied the game at 63-63 with a three-pointer, but LSU struggled to contain South Carolina’s offense down the stretch, and the comeback effort ultimately fell short.

All gas, no breaks ⚡️

📺ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/7e6vyneYnh

— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) March 7, 2026

South Carolina opened the second half on a 5-0 run to take a 41-40 lead. Junior guard Mikaylah Williams responded with a jumper over a Gamecocks defender to put LSU back in front, 42-41. The Gamecocks answered with another 5-0 run to build a 46-42 advantage with five minutes remaining in the quarter. Sophomore guard Jada Richard drilled a much-needed three-pointer to cut the deficit to one, but South Carolina began to heat up from beyond the arc. The Gamecocks knocked down three triples to extend their lead to 55-48 with 2:07 left in the period.

1️⃣2️⃣🏝️ for 2

📺ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/Yh17jP4cVP

— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) March 7, 2026

Fulwiley scored on back-to-back possessions to trim the margin to 57-54, but Raven Johnson beat the buzzer with a basket to give South Carolina a 59-54 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Johnson scored 12 points in the period on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting.

LSU tied the game at 21 after scoring on back-to-back possessions to open the second quarter. Then Fulwiley took full control, scoring the Tigers’ next eight points to give LSU a 29-25 lead with six minutes remaining before the break. South Carolina tied the game at 29 when Tessa Johnson knocked down a corner three in transition.

The Gamecocks regained a 34-31 lead when senior guard Ta’Niya Latson finished at the rim with just over two minutes remaining in the half. Fulwiley responded with a three-pointer to put LSU back in front, 36-34. Senior forward Amiya Joyner then beat the buzzer with a layup to send LSU into halftime with a 40-36 lead. Fulwiley scored 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting in the quarter.

South Carolina jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead after scoring on its first two possessions. Richard knocked down a midrange jumper to give LSU its first points and cut the deficit to two. The Tigers tied the game at 4-4 when Flau’jae Johnson made a pair of free throws.

Both teams traded blows over the next several minutes. Freshman forward Grace Knox tied the game at 12 with a layup at the 4:07 mark. Joyner then hit one of two free throws to give LSU a 13-12 lead – its first of the game. The Gamecocks closed the quarter on a 9-4 run to take a 21-17 advantage into the second quarter. Latson came out scorching hot, scoring 10 points in the opening 10 minutes.

LSU will return to Baton Rouge to regroup ahead of the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers will learn their draw and seeding during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on March 15 at 7 p.m.