When many thought they were watching a basketball game, they were watching a boxing match.

One champion from last season, another from the season before. But South Carolina was the last fighter standing, coming away hardfought with a 66-56 win, and giving LSU its first loss.

“We’re doing our part in women’s basketball to bring great recognition and great games,” Mulkey said. “Let’s keep doing it.”

While LSU was the one to tire out, it wasn’t entirely South Carolina that brought them down. Some of it was LSU itself.

In short, 36 may be a number LSU will look at for some time; 17 turnovers and 19 fouls as a team. South Carolina took advantage, scoring 22 points off LSU’s turnovers, and shot 18-for-26 at the foul line.

Aneesah Morrow led LSU with 15 points and 16 rebounds. She shot 6-for-19 from the field, but fouled out with under a minute left in the game. LSU had to win in the paint and rebound as much as it could, and Morrow kept the game in the paint.

Along with Morrow, Flau’jae Johnson finished with 13 points. She shot 6-for-18 from the field and grabbed four rebounds. Sa’Myah Smith added an additional seven rebounds.

Mikaylah Williams scored 13 points along with six rebounds, and she shot 5-for-17 from the field.

The Tigers outrebounded South Carolina 51-39. Of LSU’s 51 rebounds, 28 came on the offensive side, and LSU scored 22 points off of those offensive rebounds.

But second chances were had time and time over, and once the second half came, the Tigers ran out of second chances.

“We’re not doing anything when we get those offensive boards,” Mulkey said. “You got to do something with them.”

After scoring just eight points in the second quarter, LSU totaled 11 points in the third quarter, despite taking two more shots than South Carolina.

That was when the Gamecocks found another gear.

South Carolina converted off of LSU’s mistakes as a whole, but the Gamecocks’ bench made sure to make the most of its opportunities as it has all season.

MiLaysia Fulwiley shot 4-for-4 at the foul line off the bench, adding to her eight total points. Joyce Edwards came alive in the second half, scoring 10 of her 14 points once the Gamecocks gained separation. With Tessa Johnson’s nine points, the Gamecocks’ bench totaled 31 points.

Raven Johnson kept the Tigers on their toes on the defensive side of the ball. Johnson led the team with five steals, and Fulwiley had an additional three takeaways.

“It’s just a little thing that usually is the difference,” Mulkey said. “It was turnovers at the most critical time that allowed the crowd to get into it, allowed them to gain a little more confidence.”

Chloe Kitts and Sania Feagin held their own for the Gamecocks’ defense in the paint. While Morrow made it a challenge for them, resulting in her almost inevitable five fouls, Feagin grabbed seven rebounds and scored 12 points, and Kitts grabbed another seven rebounds along with seven points.

“Our defense made them have to work hard to score the ball,” Mulkey said. “I can’t think of many easy shots that they got.”

Morrow made South Carolina earn its rebounds. Instead, the Gamecocks totaled 11 blocks on the game. Feagin led the team with three blocks, and Kitts, Bree Hall and Tessa Johnson each had two.

While the matchup was a boxing match on hardwood, there was no knockout punch. In fact, both teams shot below 30% from three; South Carolina shot just 15.4%.

But South Carolina’s guards still found a way to be effective. Te-Hina Paopao finished with six points and four rebounds, and Hall added five points and five rebounds, including one of South Carolina’s two 3-pointers.

There didn’t have to be a knockout punch. Once South Carolina had LSU in the final round, the Tigers did not have the reinforcements to keep up.

South Carolina was able to rotate fresh bodies in and out as it pleased, boasting a consistent nine player rotation. Meanwhile, LSU had multiple players with four fouls or more. 

“I’ve got to go with what I have, got to go with my gut,” Mulkey said. “Fatigue could play a part, but I always tend to give credit to the opponent. The shots we missed could’ve been fatigue.”

The important thing for LSU: it didn’t get knocked out. Because this late in the season, the vision of hitting the mat can’t exist.