Tessa Johnson scored 21 points to help No. 3 South Carolina defeat No. 6 LSU 79-72 on Saturday night in Baton Rouge, extending the Gamecocks’ winning streak over the Tigers to 18 games.
South Carolina improved its record to 25-2 overall and 11-1 in the SEC, while LSU dropped to 22-4 overall and 8-4 in conference play.
With the Gamecocks leading by one point and less than a minute remaining, LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson missed two free throws that could have given her team the lead. South Carolina then secured the win by scoring six straight points, including a layup and two free throws from Madina Okot in the final seconds.
Johnson led LSU with 21 points, while Mikaylah Williams contributed 11 points for the Tigers. For South Carolina, Raven Johnson added a career-high 19 points along with six assists. Okot recorded a double-double with 12 points and a team-high 17 rebounds, marking her 16th double-double of the season. Joyce Edwards also reached double figures with ten points.
Despite several opportunities, LSU struggled offensively throughout the game, missing ten layups and nine free throws.
South Carolina trailed for just over four minutes in the first half but managed to turn an early five-point deficit into a one-point halftime lead at 41-40. Tessa Johnson and Raven Johnson combined for most of South Carolina’s offense in the second quarter, scoring nineteen of their team’s twenty-five points during that period. Tessa Johnson made four three-pointers in total and scored sixteen of her twenty-one points before halftime.
In the third quarter, LSU had difficulty converting shots early on, allowing South Carolina to go on a nine-to-two run for an eight-point lead midway through the period. Although reserve forwards Bella Hines and Jada Richard helped LSU cut into that margin twice, South Carolina closed out the quarter ahead by five.
LSU narrowed the gap late in the fourth quarter after scoring on four consecutive possessions—two by Flau’jae Johnson—but South Carolina held onto its advantage after calling timeout with just under four minutes left.
Eight different players scored for South Carolina; four starters finished with double-digit point totals. Agot Makeer contributed five points off the bench, including a key three-pointer early in the fourth quarter to extend her team’s lead.
The victory marked head coach Dawn Staley’s 500th career win as leader of South Carolina women’s basketball.
