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No. 2 South Carolina handed No. 5 LSU its first loss of the season with a 66-56 victory on Friday. This was the Gamecocks' 69th consecutive home victory, and their eighth win against AP Top 25 competition this season.

Friday also marked South Carolina's 17th straight win against LSU, including the 2024 SEC championship game. The Tigers have not been able to beat the Gamecocks since 2012.

Joyce Edwards and Sania Feagin led South Carolina with 14 and 12 points, respectively. But as usual, it was a full team effort for the Gamecocks with eight players scoring at least five points. 

Women's college basketball midseason awards: Dawn Staley wins Coach of the Year over Cori Close, Niele Ivey
Isabel Gonzalez
Women's college basketball midseason awards: Dawn Staley wins Coach of the Year over Cori Close, Niele Ivey

However, the defense was the star of the show. After trailing by seven in the second quarter, South Carolina held LSU to a scoreless 0-14 from the field over the final 4:51 of the half. The Tigers' eight second-quarter points marked their lowest-scoring quarter of the season.

And yet the game remained competitive as LSU only trailed by three at the break. The turning point came halfway through the third quarter when South Carolina's defense sparked an 8-0 Gamecocks run. Chloe Kitts converted two free throws, and then Dawn Staley's team put on an impressive sequence of six points within 26 seconds.

"Defensively, we just were connected," Staley said. "I don't think we were connected in the first quarter, but I think we adjusted. We made some adjustments in the second quarter and then at halftime to just limit the amount of easy buckets they were getting in the first quarter. ... We certainly cleaned up just being able to defend, being able to just disrupt. That's the name of the game when you can't put more than 70 points on the scoreboard."

By this point, South Carolina had contested 48 of LSU's 60 shot attempts. The Gamecocks entered the final quarter with a 10-point lead and kept their feet on the gas. They held LSU without a field goal for nine minutes between late in the third quarter and halfway through the fourth.

The Tigers cut the deficit to single digits in the last few minutes, but they couldn't complete the comeback. Aneesah Morrow led LSU's efforts with 15 points and 16 rebounds, marking her 93rd career double-double -- second most in women's Division I history. Flau'jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams contributed 13 points each. 

The Gamecocks' defensive performance against LSU translated very clearly to the box score. South Carolina registered 13 steals and 11 blocks --- the most for the program since March 2022 against Arkansas.

"Turnovers at the wrong time," LSU coach Kim Mulkey said of the difference of the game. "A couple were back to back and the momentum shifted when we had those turnovers. Little things we have to mature and grow up and be prepared for."

Mulkey also said Friday's game, despite being a loss, showed her how competitive her team can be.

"I learned we can hang with the best in the country," Mulkey said. "And I do think they're the best in the country, even though UCLA beat them. I don't think I've ever coached against a team with 10 McDonald's All-Americans on a roster."

LSU will next host Texas A&M on Sunday. Meanwhile, South Carolina plays another ranked opponent Monday with a date against Tennessee on the road.