LSU women’s basketball couldn’t close out a win against South Carolina Thursday night, but the two teams created a spectacle unlike anything else in college basketball.
It was a sellout crowd at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, with fans and students lining up outside the building up to three hours before tip-off.
“I’ve never seen as many people in the plaza, of any plaza, for a regular season game,” South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley said.
The game was circled on the college basketball calendar since the beginning of the season, with fans long expecting a top 10 matchup between the previous two national champions.
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It attracted the eyes of the entire basketball world. ESPN’s College Gameday was live from inside the arena, and many basketball stars and media personalities posted their thoughts of the game and atmosphere on X.
Even with tickets selling for thousands of dollars, the fans got their money’s worth.
The game came down to the final minutes, and South Carolina pulled ahead with clutch shots from Bree Hall and Raven Johnson.
“That was a good basketball game; there’s a lot of talent on both sides,” LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said after the game. “That was good for the SEC. Two good teams battling it out.”
Despite the loss for LSU, the crowd seemed to play its role well. LSU got off to a fast start and didn’t trail until the fourth quarter. The energy was there for LSU all game, but South Carolina didn’t let it affect the outcome.
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“The energy in this building was great,” Staley said. “Even though we were on the other side of it, I love being in the gym with people who are really loving up on women’s basketball to this level, but it’s not going anywhere, it’s only gonna get bigger.”
The game was another display of the growth of women’s college basketball, and Staley mentioned how positive the experience was for her team.
“It had all the dynamics of what you want every women’s basketball player to experience,” Staley said.
