In a game that LSU controlled, a few mistakes left the win just out of reach for the Tigers.
Thursday night’s matchup between LSU and South Carolina was a type of game everyone’s familiar with: Both teams deserved a win, yet one had to lose. In this case, LSU was on the losing end.
LSU started out hot, ending the first quarter with a six-point lead. It went into halftime with a five-point lead and finished the third quarter ahead by four. It was a familiar sight, watching LSU’s lead slowly slip away throughout the game.
There’s a question LSU fans may have: How could this have happened?
Here are three factors that contributed to LSU’s loss:
Foul trouble
When Angel Reese fouled out with four minutes left in the game, it left LSU with too much time without her. This didn’t directly contribute to LSU losing its lead, but scoring was much more challenging without Reese on the court.
“When you don’t have Angel Reese on the floor, it takes you out of your rhythm,” Mulkey said. “It takes you out of your confidence.”
Not to mention, Reese’s absence gave South Carolina’s 6-foot-7 center Kamilla Cardoso a window to produce when it mattered most.
While Cardoso didn’t put any points on the board with Reese out of the game, she grabbed two important rebounds and had two assists. She totaled eight rebounds in the game and 11 points.
As a team, LSU had 15 personal fouls compared to South Carolina’s 11. The Tigers’ bench isn’t deep enough to receive more fouls than the Gamecocks. LSU only played seven players as opposed to South Carolina’s 10.
Not to mention, LSU’s fouls in the fourth quarter allowed the Game Cock’s to tie the game twice; one was at 61 from the foul line with six-and-a-half minutes left in the game, and the other was at 67, when Reese fouled out of the game with four minutes left.
These were points and momentum swings LSU just couldn’t afford to give up.
Of LSU’s seven players that got on the court Thursday, five of them had multiple fouls, including Reese. Aneesah Morrow had three fouls, and Flau’jae Johnson, Hailey Van Lith and Aalyah Del Rosario each had two fouls.
Timely 3-point shooting
South Carolina only shot 35% from behind the 3-point line, but its shots were timely.
MiLaysia Fulwiley knocked down two 3-pointers, one of which came right before the halftime buzzer. The Gamecocks gained momentum going into halftime, which could have sparked their comeback.
Early in the fourth quarter, Te-Hina Paopao knocked down a 3-pointer, which brought South Carolina within one score of LSU.
Bree Hall knocked down two 3-pointers with under three minutes left in the game, both of which gave South Carolina a three-point lead. The second gave the Gamecocks the lead for good with just over a minute left to play.
The Gamecocks are fond of shooting the three ball. As a team, it shoots 43.5% from behind the arc. This late in the game, LSU couldn’t afford to give up the shots South Carolina thrives the most on.
Lack of depth
Lack of depth has been one of LSU’s prime weaknesses all season, especially in Southeastern Conference play.
Ultimately, for the tigers to stay out of foul trouble and defend the perimeter, they needed more options on the bench.
Del Rosario gave LSU valuable minutes off the bench. In a game where her 6-foot-6 height would serve well, she grabbed seven rebounds and came away with three blocks. Especially with Reese and Morrow being in the most foul trouble out of anyone on the team, her production was much needed.
Even with a strong first-half performance, LSU needed more options to defend South Carolina’s outside shots to avoid fatigue.
Johnson played all 40 minutes, and Van Lith and Mikaylah Williams each played 38. Poa, LSU’s go-to guard off the bench, played just three minutes.
Not one South Carolina player played all 40 minutes. No one needed to.
Against a team as dominant as South Carolina, who makes defenders run all over the court, LSU couldn’t maintain the same quality defense it started with.
