Statement win! No. 1 South Carolina outlasts No. 9 LSU for big road victory

In a sea of white stood a small section of garnet and black behind the Gamecocks bench. It wasn’t much, but it was all USC needed to emerge from very unfriendly territory with its hardest-fought win of the season.

No. 1 South Carolina defeated No. 10 LSU 76-70 Thursday night in Baton Rouge — a statement win for the Gamecocks, who remain the only undefeated team in college basketball. The victory also marked USC’s 1,000th win in program history.

The Gamecocks led 2-0 to start the game after a Bree Hall lay up, then not again until 5:58 in the fourth quarter 63-61. Hall sank two key 3s in the final minutes.

USC employed its usual starting five: Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson, Hall, Chloe Kitts and Kamilla Cardoso. Five Gamecocks ended the night with double-digit points: Kitts (14), Paopao (12), Cardoso (11), Hall (10) and Johnson (12). Five Tigers scored at least 10 points: Flau’jae Johnson (10), Angel Reese (15), Aneesah Morrow (16), Mikaylah Williams (12) and Hailey Van Lith (13).

The Gamecocks return home Sunday to host Vanderbilt at 3 p.m. on SEC Network.

Tigers overwhelm USC’s leading scorers

Cardoso, who averaged a team-leading 13.3 points per game heading into Thursday night, took three shots in the first half against LSU. She sank one and made her lone free throw of the half.

She also averaged a team-leading 10.7 rebounds before Thursday, and snagged three in the first half.

Tigers coach Kim Mulkey said Wednesday her team would have it’s hands full trying to contain all 6-foot-7 of USC’s center, but LSU seemingly had no problem doing so from tip to intermission.

Cardoso opened the third quarter with a much-needed layup but was unable to establish any momentum off the make. Reese, 6-foot-3, blocked two of Cardoso’s layups in the period.

She ended the night with 11 points and eight rebounds.

Paopao, who averaged 12.5 points heading into Thursday night, managed three in the first half. The senior guard was the nation’s most accurate 3-point shooter (55.8%) before the LSU game. She shot 25% from the field in the first half.

Paopao eventually bounced back, ending with 12 points on 33.3% shooting.

Gamecocks almost get outrebounded

Before Thursday, South Carolina ranked No. 4 in the nation in rebound margin (15.2), and LSU ranked No. 2 in the statistic (16). The Tigers won the battle of the boards in the first half.

LSU out-rebounded USC 25 to 17 after two quarters. Ten of the Tigers’ rebounds came on the offensive end of the court, which they converted into 11 second-chance points.

South Carolina cleaned it up, though, ending the game with 39 rebounds to LSU’s 37.

Chloe Kitts, MiLaysia Fulwiley bright spots

Kitts had the best night scoring wise for the Gamecocks, ending with 14 points. While Reese overpowered Kitts in the post a lot, she found ways to be productive. on offense. She missed scoring opportunities at the free throw line, though, shooting 66.7%.

Fulwiley led USC with two 3s in the first three quarters and locked down LSU ball handlers on defense. She ended the night with 8 points.

Next four South Carolina women’s basketball games