The LSU women’s basketball team fell to No. 3 South Carolina, 74-54, in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Saturday afternoon.
Despite losing to the Gamecocks (29-2, 16-1 SEC) twice this season by 24 points, the Lady Tigers (17-13, 10-7 SEC) came out on fire and held South Carolina to only 27 points in the first half. But in the second half, South Carolina took control, and the Lady Tigers couldn’t rally back.
Senior guard DaShawn Harden sparked LSU with three 3-pointers in the first four minutes, leading the Lady Tigers on a 10-3 run to open the first half.
After South Carolina junior guard Tina Roy tied the game at 10 apiece with a 3-pointer with 15:19 remaining in the half, the Lady Tigers extended their lead to as many as 11 points and outscored the Gamecocks, 21-17 the rest of the way in the first half.
Harden led the Lady Tigers with 17 points in the period, including shooting 5-for-5 from behind the 3-point line, which tied her career-best performance from 3-point range.
LSU shut down the Gamecocks’ leading scorer – junior guard Tiffany Mitchell – who averages 14.7 points per game. Mitchell did not score in the first half, but sophomore center Alaina Coates led the Gamecocks with eight points in the first half.
The Lady Tigers headed into the break with a four-point lead, but it would not last.
South Carolina’s offense exploded to score 47 points, the second-highest points allowed by LSU’s defense in a second half this season. Roy sparked the Gamecocks with 12 points, shooting 4-for-5 from 3-point range.
Sophomore guard Raigyne Moncrief led the Lady Tigers with 13 points in the second half, but LSU never got into the same offensive rhythm it had in the first half. After tying the game at 36-36 with 15:40 left, the Lady Tigers never took the lead again.
The Gamecocks led by as many as 23 points and outscored the Lady Tigers, 38-18, in the last 15 minutes.