By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Make that 19 straight LSU losses and counting to South Carolina.
After the Tigers’ MiLaysia Fulwiley’s 3-pointer tied the game at 67, the SEC regular season champion Gamecocks scored four key baskets immediately after timeouts in the final six minutes to hold on for an 83-77 victory in the SEC Tournament semifinals here Saturday afternoon.
While just about every statistical category ended virtually even between sixth-ranked LSU (27-5) and third-ranked South Carolina (31-2), the difference was that the Gamecocks’ most experienced players played like battle-tested veterans and LSU’s didn’t.
South Carolina seniors Raven Johnson (a career-high 22 points) and Ta’Niya Latson (19 points) combined for 41 points on 15 of 27 field goals, including 4 of 6 3-pointers by Johnson.
Tigers’ senior Flau’Jae Johnson (6 points on 1 of 8 shooting) and junior Mikaylah Williams (12 points, including 8 in the game’s last 2:25) paired for just 18 points on 6 of 20 field goals, including 2 of 7 threes.
LSU’s lack of veteran leadership was evident in the game’s final minute. Trailing 79-75 after South Carolina called a timeout with 45 seconds left, the Tigers failed to follow head coach Kim Mulkey’s instructions by not fouling the Gamecocks.
South Carolina ran 23 seconds of the clock, called a timeout with 22 seconds remaining, and then scored with 15 seconds left on a game-clinching layup by Okot.
“We had two fouls to give, so we were going for the steal on a quick trap and use one of the fouls if we don’t get it,” Mulkey said. “We didn’t do it.
“I don’t want to say lose our composure, but we just don’t do it. So that’s why you stay in a locker room (after the game) tonight to teach. You guys who were on the floor, tell me why we didn’t do that, OK? Tell me why, when you come out of that timeout, we didn’t run this play?”
Just like LSU’s regular-season 79-72 home loss to South Carolina on Feb. 14, the Gamecocks executed under pressure in the closing minutes and LSU cracked.
“We knew we had to compete and bring our `A’ game,” Raven Johnson said. “We had to play for 40 minutes. Every possession mattered. We had to lean on each other through the good and bad. We did a good job of that, executing the Xs and Os. Every time we go against LSU, we know it’s going to be a battle.”
Despite playing in front of a pro-South Carolina crowd, the Tigers had momentum heading into Saturday’s game.
They were on fire in their 112-78 quarterfinals win over Oklahoma on Friday afternoon. LSU scored the second-largest point total for one team in SEC tourney history. The Tigers also recorded tournament records with 40 fourth-quarter points and 67 second-half points.
Five players combined to hit 13 of 24 3-pointers (54.2 percent) vs. the Sooners, including 4 of 7 by Flau’jae Johnson. She scored 21 points and became the sixth LSU player to score 2,000 points in a career.
But against South Carolina, Johnson was missing in action, as was LSU’s 3-point shooting touch. The Tigers finished 7 of 21 (33.3 percent), including 3 of 15 through three quarters.
LSU led 40-36 at halftime, but South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley liked her chances.
“At halftime, I thought we should be down by 10, 12 points the way we were playing,” Staley said. “I felt good. I felt our players were right there. When we came out in the third quarter, we made a run and took the lead. Then it was back and forth. But I thought our kids were really resilient.”
The only reason LSU remained in striking distance after it missed 8 of its first 9 third-quarter shots (“We were just jacking up shots,” Mulkey said) was the Tigers’ clutch backcourt duo of South Carolina junior transfer Fulwiley and sophomore Jada Richard.
“I didn’t see anything but the goal,” said Fulwiley, who scored a game-high 24 points, mostly on her full-tilt boogie drives.
Richard had 17 points, including 11 in the second half, when she had three 3-pointers.
“I just was open when they went to the zone,” Richard said. “Our biggest thing was just getting penetration, getting into the paint. When we got that penetration, I was open.”
It was a dramatic turnaround for Fulwiley and Richard from the February game against the Gamecocks when the duo combined for just 13 points by missing 16 of 18 shots, including 0 of 5 3-pointers.
While South Carolina advanced to the league tourney finals for the seventh straight season and against Texas for the second consecutive season, LSU will now rest and wait for next Sunday’s NCAA Tournament bracket announcement.
The Tigers, one of four projected No. 2 seeds, are expected to host a regional for a fifth straight season under Mulkey. At LSU, she’s 13-3 in the NCAA tournament (7-1 regionals, 3-0 Sweet 16, 1-2 Elite Eight, 2-0 Final Four).
“There’s just a small margin of error that you can have to beat elite teams,” Mulkey said. “We think we’re an elite team, but we’re not there to win those close games against the South Carolinas, the UConns.”
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com
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