in the first place South Carolina And number 5 LSU confront in SEC Championship Game Sunday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. It's a matchup between two of the best coaches in the game – Dawn Staley and Kim Mulkey.
The Gamecocks won the only regular season game between the two teams 76-70 on January 25th In Baton Rouge. South Carolina's Anissa Morrow scored a game-high 16 points.
The Tigers hope to get revenge and take another step toward defending their first national championship title.
The Gamecocks are looking to remain undefeated in their March Madness trip.
LSU star Angel Reese showed up to the game wearing a walking boot, but he was playing.
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A fight almost broke out between South Carolina and LSU; Johnson was escorted out of court by Flawjay's brother
The SEC Championship battle heated up in the fourth quarter when South Carolina's MiLaysia Fulwiley grabbed a steal and started dribbling downcourt. LSU's Flawjay Johnson grabbed it from behind to stop it and then shoved Amani Bartlett. South Carolina star Camila Cardoso retaliated, shoving Johnson to the ground. Johnson's teammate Hailey Van Lith rushed over and confronted Cardoso and there was more of a scuffle.
LSU's bench was cleared and South Carolina's coach suspended the players before the impending brawl in front of the scorer's table could begin.
One fan jumped over the scorer's table and was quickly followed by a police officer. The fan, who ESPN said was Johnson's brother, was arrested and taken from the court. Johnson's mother appeared talking to a police officer.
There was an 11-minute break in play at 2:08 with the Gamecocks leading 73-66 as officials sorted out the incident.
Johnson earned an intentional foul and Cardoso was disqualified for fighting. All players who left the bench were also expelled from the match.
End of third quarter: South Carolina 59, LSU 53
South Carolina clings to its lead in the fourth quarter, up 59-53 over LSU.
The Gamecocks were up by as many as 13 points before the Tigers' Angel Reese made a physical stop. Then, Aaliyah Del Rosario performed the long jump, and all of her LSU teammates were pumping their fists in reference to Kim Mulkey's comments that the center needed to play like a Mack truck.
But MiLaysia Fulwiley hit back-to-back three-pointers to restore South Carolina's momentum.
At the end of the period, LSU's Anissa Morrow brought the game within four, and the Tigers had a chance to score again, but after several offensive rebounds and a steal from Flau'jae Johnson, they were unable to get a bucket.
South Carolina's Folwile leads all scorers with 20 points, while Morrow has 19 points for LSU.
End of second quarter: South Carolina 36, LSU 32 with Angel Reese on the bench after an intentional foul
The Gamecocks led at halftime 36-32 despite a bit of a drought in the second quarter.
Midway through the period, Angel Reyes delivered an elbow to Camila Cardoso, which was upgraded to an intentional foul. It was Reese's second foul of the game and she sat on the bench after the play. She appeared shaking her head before South Carolina Te-Hina Paopao made both free throws.
Reese has four points and seven rebounds. Anissa Morrow continues to lead the Tigers with 11 points.
Flau'jae Johnson scored her first points for LSU in the second quarter, including a long jumper that got her fouled and made a three-point play on her free throw.
Dawn Staley's team went more than four minutes between field goals, but MiLaysia Fulwiley made a layup with two minutes left in the first half and closed out the quarter with a three-point bucket. She leads South Carolina by 10 points. Pawpaw has seven.
LSU outrebounds South Carolina 22 to 12 in the first half.
End of first quarter: South Carolina 18, LSU 15
South Carolina took an early lead in the SEC Tournament, ending the first quarter with an 18-15 lead.
The undefeated Gamecocks finished the period 11-2 after the Tigers took a 13-7 lead.
Angel Reese has four points for LSU. She appears in the game in walking boots. Anissa Morrow leads the Tigers with six points.
For South Carolina, Melisia Fulwaili is the leading scorer with five points off the bench.
Angel Reese reaches SEC Championship in walking boots
Angel Reese, LSU's leading scorer averaging 19.1 points per game, reaches the SEC Tournament championship game She wears a walking shoe on her right foot.
Despite the boots, Rees was on the ground warming up before the game and in the starting lineup for play No. 1 South Carolina Sunday afternoon.
Saturday Reese scored 21 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead LSU, ranked No. 5 in the country, to a 75-67 win over Mississippi to reach the SEC Tournament title game. Reese sprained her ankle against Auburn in the quarterfinals and played on her ankle again on Saturday. “My ankle is as big as a tennis ball now,” she said.
LSU suffered another major injury on Saturday when guard Last-Tear Poa was taken off the field on a stretcher after being hit on the ground. The team said Saturday night that Boa suffered a concussion.
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