No. 9 LSU Tigers are all set to welcome the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks on Thursday, January 25th.

The basketball community is eagerly anticipating the much-awaited SEC face-off between LSU and South Carolina. Despite dropping to the 9th seed, a sellout crowd is anticipated for the game.

ESPN’s ‘College Gameday‘ is making its way to Baton Rouge for this momentous game. The Pete Maravich Center will host this event, with distinguished analysts such as Holly Rowe, Rebecca Lobo, Andraya Carter, Carolyn Peck, and Elle Duncan in attendance.

This time around, LSU will relish the advantage of playing at home, with numerous festivities lined up in addition to College Gameday. A celebration on the Plaza will kick things off at 3:30 p.m. CT, followed by the opening of the Pete Maravich Center (PMAC) at 5:30 p.m. The tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.

It marks the first instance of College Game Day being held in Baton Rouge for a Women’s basketball game.

Considering the high anticipation surrounding this game, the highest ticket price on Vivid Seats stands at $1,600 in lower level 105. If you are keen on attending, the lowest ticket price listed on Vivid is $79 in section 344.

Dawn Staley vs Kim Mulkey

South Carolina is presently favored to clinch the NCAA Championship with +270 odds, with LSU following closely behind with +500 odds.

The Gamecocks (18-2, 5-1 Conference) will journey to Louisiana to take on the Tigers (17-0, 5-0 Conference), who have maintained an unblemished record this season in the Southeastern Conference.

This will be a clash between two highly skilled teams, as South Carolina’s coach Dawn Staley faces off against LSU’s coach Kim Mulkey once again.

In her 16th season as the head coach of South Carolina, Staley has steered the Gamecocks to two National NCAA Titles.

Although most pundits anticipated South Carolina as the favorites for this season’s title, Mulkey and the LSU Tigers claimed the 2023 NCAA Champions title by defeating Iowa, 102-85.

Mulkey, who previously served as the head coach of Baylor Women’s Basketball for 21 seasons, is now in her third season with LSU in the SEC.

These two exceptional coaches have amassed a total of six NCAA Championship titles and 10 Final Four appearances between them. As Staley continues to add to the dynasty she has built in Columbia, it appears that Mulkey is doing the same.

Thursday’s encounter won’t mark the first showdown between these two conference rivals or the coaches.

Staley recalls when Mulkey and Baylor thwarted South Carolina’s advance in the Sweet 16 during the 2018-2019 season, sparking the rivalry that has been brewing ever since. With two influential coaches, it’s inevitable.

Their last meeting took place just before Super Bowl Sunday in February 2023. With a packed arena featuring 18,000 fans, South Carolina secured an 88-64 victory over LSU at their home Colonial Life Arena.

Despite considerable changes in both teams’ rosters, the game attracted an audience of 1.6 million. According to ESPN PR, it was the most-watched regular season Women’s NCAA basketball game on any network since 2010.

No. 1 South Carolina’s Unmatched Energy

Remaining unbeaten this season, South Carolina has achieved significant victories over Notre Dame, Maryland, UNC, and Utah. Away from home, the team currently stands as the undisputed number one in this week’s AP poll.

Leveraging the prowess of Senior Kamilla Cardoso, the Gamecocks possess one of the most dominant centers in terms of shot-blocking and rebounding.

A prolific double-double contributor, Cardoso is maintaining an average of 13.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.9 blocks, shooting at an impressive 61.1 percent from the field.

Teaming up with Cardoso is the three-point sharpshooter Te-Hina Paopao, who is exhibiting exceptional accuracy from beyond the arc (55.8 percent).

Following the pairing of Cardoso with Aliyah Boston last year, Staley has now integrated 6’2 Sophomore Chloe Kitts into the lineup, resulting in a strong combination with Cardoso.

With a frontline featuring two imposing players, South Carolina leads NCAA Women’s D1 Basketball in rebounds per game (48.65) and blocks per game (8.9).

The Emergence of Raven Johnson and Milaysia Fulwiley

As Sophomore guard Raven Johnson secures a spot in the starting lineup in her third year, South Carolina has uncovered additional undisclosed talents: Sania Feagin and star freshman Milaysia Fulwiley.

Fulwiley made an immediate impact in November against Notre Dame with a remarkable finish, showcasing her consistent prowess on the court. Given her freshman status, her swift impact was unforeseen. Fulwiley’s dominance is matched by her unwavering confidence.

Meanwhile, Johnson is on a quest for redemption after suffering a defeat to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in last year’s Final Four. Functioning as the team’s primary ball handler, Johnson, donning the number 25 jersey, has been formidable on defense.

Drawing from her winning experience, the guard is producing a career-best performance, averaging 9.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.4 steals throughout the season.

With a scoring average of 98.5 points over the last two games, Staley and the Gamecocks are riding high after their 99-64 victory over Texas A&M.

Fulwiley delivered a career-best 21 points off the bench, while Cardoso notched 17 points and 13 rebounds. Dominating with a 31-point lead at halftime, South Carolina is exuding unmatched energy this season.

LSU Tigers Drop to the No. 9 Seed

It has been a somewhat challenging season for LSU. Despite losing LaDashia Williams and Alex Morris to the WNBA Draft, they secured the services of Hailey Van Lith, who transferred from Louisville.

Furthermore, Mulkey successfully recruited Aneesha Morrow from DePaul and Mikaylah Williams, the second-ranked recruit in the Freshman class. Given the talent and depth of their roster, they began the season as favorites for the top spot.

The Tigers, boasting an 18-2 record, suffered defeats in their season opener against No.20 Colorado, going down 92-78, and against Auburn, losing 67-62.

In 20 games so far this season, LSU managed to overcome their solitary ranked opponent, No. 9 Virginia Tech, with a 76-73 win. With a 9-1 record in their last ten games, the Tigers are fresh off a resounding 99-68 triumph over Arkansas.

In the impressive outing, Williams led the team with 21 points, while Van Lith contributed 20. Angel Reese once again showcased her dominance on the boards with 16 points and 17 rebounds.

Angel Reese Finds Her Stride Following a 4-Game Absence

Junior Angel Reese played a pivotal role in their championship-winning campaign last season. Interestingly, she was benched at halftime during a game against Kent State in November.

Subsequently, she took a 4-game break, citing mental health concerns as the reason for her absence. Kateri Poole, who also faced a similar scenario, is no longer with the team.

While Reese hasn’t been as prolific as last season, she’s maintaining a solid shooting percentage, averaging 19.9 points and 12.1 rebounds. Despite not hitting the same heights as before, she’s been an integral presence for the team.

In terms of range, she is a top-notch rebounder. Her scoring figures may have declined in her initial season with LSU, yet she continues to be an essential part of this squad. As former champions, it’s the compromise made by Van Lith and Morrow upon their transfer.

The Tigers are seeking vengeance following Auburn terminating their 16-game winning streak. Interestingly, both teams have recently enjoyed dominant victories, each embarking on 18-0 scoring runs.

Reese understands the magnitude of this matchup for not only their team but for women’s basketball in general. “The big picture is Thursday,” Reese stated. “We’ are prepared’re ready for it.”

Freshman Clash: Milaysia Fulwiley vs. Mikaylah Williams

There are certainly numerous standout players to observe in this game. What excites me the most is the freshman duel between LSU’s Mikaylah Williams and South Carolina’s Milaysia Fulwiley.

As mentioned earlier, Fulwiley is coming off an outstanding performance against Texas A&M. Similarly, Williams led her team to a commanding victory over Arkansas. Two exceptional guards, Fulwiley has been impressive coming off the bench, while Williams has started all 20 games for Mulkey.

In the 20 games played this season for LSU, the top recruit is averaging an impressive 16.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.5 blocks. A prolific scorer, Williams is shooting well above 40 percent from beyond the arc and 50 percent from the field. She grabbed the nation’s attention after a dominant 42-point display against Kent State.

A budding star, Williams possesses a versatile skill set, with the capability to drive to the basket and shoot from long distance. Undoubtedly talented, Williams should match up well against Fulwiley.

South Carolina’s freshman guard, Milaysia Fulwiley, has made waves this season, beginning in the Paris opener against Notre Dame and continuing in her latest game. In 17 games this season, Fulwiley has displayed productivity off the bench, starting in only two games.

She is averaging 11.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks. Her Instagram handle is laywitdabutter for a reason.

Extremely athletic when penetrating to the rim, her ability to score in traffic is electrifying. While she has previously been benched by Coach Staley, she has exhibited greater discipline on the defensive end.

Following a 66.7 percent shooting performance, No. 12 will continue to progress and provide a spark off the bench.