Basketball is a team sport. No matter how many or how few points an individual scores, the game is won based on which team plays together efficiently.
While one or two players can sometimes will their team to a victory with an elite performance, when everyone can contribute, it’s a whole different story.
During the SEC women’s basketball tournament, LSU fell to South Carolina in the semifinals, losing 83-77 on Saturday. It’s the second time this season and the 19th consecutive time that the Tigers have lost to the Gamecocks.
Amidst the defeat, the Tigers got a few strong performances from guards Jada Richard and MiLaysia Fulwiley.
When LSU and South Carolina met back in February, the two combined for 13 points, 2-for-18 (11.1%) shooting and four turnovers.
This time, they bounced back, with Richard finishing with 17 points, five rebounds and four assists while shooting 7-for-12 (58.3%) from the field.
There’s always a little extra motivation for playing against a former, and after a roughing outing last time, Fulwiley finished the game with 24 points, four assists and shot 10-for-21 (47.6%) from the field.
Despite getting two big games from its guards, it wasn’t enough for LSU to come out on top. Outside of Richard and Fulwiley, the only other player to end in double-digit scoring was Mikaylah Williams, who finished with 14.
For South Carolina, it had four different players in double-digits, with Madina Okot only needing two more points to join the party.
As close as the game was, the Gamecocks ultimately had a better scoring balance and players like Joyce Edwards and Ta’Niya Latson made big plays down the stretch.
After the loss, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey was asked why her team didn’t foul late in the game when it only trailed by five with 45 seconds left.
With two fouls to give, Mulkey’s plan was to trap first and foul if her team couldn’t come away with a turnover to send them to the free-throw line.
LSU didn’t foul, and on top of letting 20 seconds leave the clock, South Carolina scored to make it a seven-point game with only 15 seconds left.
“There’s just a small margin of error that you can have to beat elite teams,” Mulkey said. “We think we’re an elite team, but we’re not there to win those close games against the South Carolinas, the UConns.”
It’s the unfortunate truth for LSU. To beat elite teams like UConn or South Carolina, you’re going to have to play almost perfectly.
When the two teams met in Baton Rouge, one factor that kept the Tigers from winning was their free-throw shooting. LSU shot 14-for-23 (61%) from the free-throw line in the seven-point loss, as Flau’jae Johnson missed two free throws down by one with 45 seconds remaining.
Factors like making free throws or knowing when to foul can help transform a loss into a win. With that margin of error being so small, it comes down to the players on the court and how they impact the game.
They’re going to have to rely on more than one or two players to lead the way against those elite-level teams; it’s a team effort.
LSU and Texas played twice this season. In the first matchup, the Tigers won with five players scoring at least 10 points. In the second matchup, only two players reached that benchmark, and they lost by 13.
Scoring isn’t everything, but it sure is helpful.
Johnson didn’t have the game she wanted after scoring 21 points in the last meeting against the Gamecocks, shooting 1-for-8 and finishing with six points and three turnovers.
While it might not have been her night shooting the ball, her coach mentioned that there are still multiple ways to impact the game.
“Do other things when you’re not shooting it well,” Mulkey said. “This game has lots of parts to it. Go rebound, defend — do some other things when your shots are not falling. You’re not going to have good shooting nights all the time, so go contribute in other ways.”
LSU has the talent and the depth to make a long run in the NCAA Tournament, but to get past the top teams, everyone has to step up.
