Tag: 2024 Women’s SEC Tournament

COLUMN: No parties innocent in LSU vs. South Carolina women’s basketball scuffle

Sunday’s scuffle between LSU and South Carolina featured an administrative failing across the board.

LSU and South Carolina played a basketball game on Sunday. It was a good one, too. It featured the last two national title winners and some of the biggest names in the sport competing for an SEC title.

South Carolina won 79-72, capping off its 32-0 regular season in the process of taking home the SEC crown.

In any other year, the basketball game would be the story. But not this year. Tempers flared throughout the game with the situation boiling over late in the fourth quarter.

Call it whatever you want. A scuffle, a dust-up or a fight. But it wasn’t good and there’s plenty of blame to go around. This was an administrative failing, from the refs to the coaches.

It was an intense game between two teams that do not like each other. The refs knew that coming in. Still, throughout the day, the game grew more and more physical as fouls went uncalled.

These are 18-22 year old kids on the floor. There will be a few times when emotions get the best of them. But it’s on the refs, the ones tasked with controlling the game, to recognize that.

Then you have the coaches. I’m not going to pretend to know what Dawn Staley and [autotag]Kim Mulkey[/autotag] were telling their teams in the huddle, but whatever it was wasn’t enough to get their respective teams under control.

Again, there’s an amount of chippiness that is expected and even encouraged in a game like this. But if you enable your players beyond a certain point, it’s going to escalate.

Mulkey and Staley need to identify when it’s getting to that point and find a way to stop it. That’s asking a lot of a coach, but both get paid millions. That’s what the money’s for.

When things like this happen, it’s easy to sit around and point fingers. South Carolina’s fans will blame LSU while LSU points right back at them. But Sunday wasn’t just about one thing.

Sure, there was the final escalation, and Kamilla Cardoso’s push of [autotag]Flau’jae Johnson[/autotag] was the worst thing that happened out there. Cardoso deserves the blame there, but other than that, these were two teams going at it.

Sports need rivalries and this is a good one right now. The intensity should remain what it is. But the refs and coaching staffs, the ones expected to hold the game together, can’t let that happen.

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LSU’s Kim Mulkey addresses fight in SEC championship against South Carolina

“No one wants to see that ugliness. But I can tell you this — I wish she would have pushed Angel Reese,” Kim Mulkey said.

The LSU women’s basketball team fell short against South Carolina once again on Sunday, losing 79-72 in the SEC Tournament championship to the unbeaten Gamecocks.

However, the result was largely overshadowed by a fight that broke out in the fourth quarter. It started with an intentional foul from [autotag]Flau’Jae Johnson[/autotag] that led to some physicality, and South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso ultimately leveled Johnson, triggering a bench-clearing brawl.

Johnson’s brother joined the fray from the stands and was reportedly arrested, while several players on both teams were ejected including Cardoso, who will be suspended for USC’s NCAA Tournament opener for fighting.

After the game, [autotag]Kim Mulkey[/autotag] addressed the brawl.

“No one wants to see that ugliness. But I can tell you this — I wish she would have pushed [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag],” Mulkey said. “You’re 6-foot-8. Don’t push somebody that little. That was uncalled for in my opinion.”

We’ll have to wait and see if any action is taken by the league, but it was a black eye on what was an otherwise epic matchup between two of the best teams in the nation.

LSU will now await its NCAA Tournament fate next Sunday. It is a projected No. 2 seed.

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PHOTOS: LSU women’s basketball’s run at SEC Tournament ends against South Carolina in championship game

The Tigers fell short of an SEC Tournament title and will now await their NCAA fate.

LSU’s hopes of knocking off the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks and capturing an SEC title were dashed on Sunday in the tournament championship game 79-72.

The Tigers competed throughout, but they were never able to seize control of the game despite cutting the deficit to one in the fourth quarter. The final quarter also featured a brawl that led to the ejection of multiple players on both teams.

Now, coach Kim Mulkey’s team will await its fate in the NCAA Tournament. Selection will be announced next Sunday, and LSU is currently a projected No. 2 seed.

Here are all the photos from Sunday’s disappointing defeat.

 

 

Instant Analysis: LSU women’s basketball comes up short in rematch against South Carolina in SEC Tournament championship

In a game that featured some drama late, the Tigers didn’t have enough to knock off the unbeaten Gamecocks.

The LSU women’s basketball team was looking for revenge on Sunday after a loss to South Carolina on its home floor early this season, but the top-seeded, undefeated Gamecocks were too much for the Tigers.

They were overpowered in a 79-72 loss as South Carolina, the regular season league champs, added another tournament title to its repertoire.

LSU led for much of the first quarter, but it found itself trailing by three by its end. South Carolina looked to expand that lead in the second and did by as much as seven, but LSU fought back and cut its deficit to 36-32 heading into halftime.

It was a big half for [autotag]Aneesah Morrow[/autotag], who led the way for the Tigers with 11 points.

South Carolina opened the third quarter on a 10-1 run and stretched what was at that point a game-high 13-point lead. But LSU wouldn’t go away, cutting into that lead and chipping it down to six entering the fourth quarter.

LSU trimmed the lead down to one in the final frame, but it couldn’t recapture the lead.

The final quarter also featured an ugly moment. After an intentional foul from [autotag]Flau’Jae Johnson[/autotag] led to some shoving, Gamecocks star Kamilla Cardoso shoved Johnson to the ground, leading to a bench-clearing brawl and the reported arrest of Johnson’s brother, who entered the court in response.

Every player who left the bench was ejected with 2:08 to play in addition to Cardoso, who will additionally be suspended for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

It wasn’t a banner day offensively for the Tigers, who shot just 37%. Morrow was the standout with a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double, while [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] had a double-double as well with 15 points and 13 rebounds while playing through pain.

[autotag]Hailey Van Lith[/autotag] scored 14, while Johnson finished with 13.

Now, the Tigers will await their NCAA Tournament next Sunday. They’re widely projected to be a No. 2 seed and would host the first two rounds in Baton Rouge if that’s the case.

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Flau’Jae Johnson’s brother reportedly arrested after entering court during brawl against South Carolina in SEC Championship

The fourth-quarter brawl led to multiple ejections on both teams.

The fourth quarter of Sunday’s SEC Tournament championship between LSU women’s basketball and South Carolina was interrupted by a lengthy pause with 2:08 to play.

After an intentional foul from [autotag]Flau’Jae Johnson[/autotag] led to some jostling, Gamecocks’ star Kamilla Cardoso knocked Johnson to the ground, sparking a bench-clearing brawl.

A fan — reportedly Johnson’s brother, according to The Advocate’s Scott Rabalais — entered the court by jumping over the scorer’s table. He was escorted off by police in handcuffs and arrested, according to the ESPN broadcast.

The incident led to multiple ejections, including Cardoso and every player on both teams who left the bench area and entered the court to join the brawl.

The brawl happened with the score at 73-66, setting up for a wild finish with both teams shorthanded. The players involved in the fight will be suspended for the first round of the NCAA Tournament, as well.

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Kim Mulkey provides positive update on LSU’s Last-Tear Poa after win over Ole Miss

According to Kim Mulkey, Last-Tear Poa has movement in her extremities, and a CT scan came back clean.

LSU won 75-67 over Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament semifinal on Saturday night, advancing to the conference title game against undefeated, top-seeded South Carolina.

But that victory was overshadowed in many ways by a scary moment in the fourth quarter. After seemingly hitting her head on the court, junior guard [autotag]Last-Tear Poa[/autotag] was unable to leave the court on her own.

She was ultimately placed in a neck brace and taken off the court on a stretcher. According to the broadcast, she was later taken to a hospital in downtown Greenville, South Carolina.

After the game, however, coach [autotag]Kim Mulkey[/autotag] offered a positive update on Poa’s status. Her CT scan came back clean, and she has movement in her extremities.

Poa has mostly been a key bench player for the Tigers this season, but she was thrust into the starting lineup as [autotag]Mikaylah Williams[/autotag] was out with an injury. It’s unclear what her status will be moving forward, but it seems the initial news on her condition is encouraging.

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Photos from LSU women’s basketball’s SEC Tournament semifinal win over Ole Miss

The Tigers advance to the SEC title game to face South Carolina.

The LSU women’s basketball team is heading back to the SEC championship game for the first time since the 2012 season.

On Saturday night, coach Kim Mulkey’s Tigers defeated Ole Miss 75-67 in the semifinal round of the SEC Tournament. With the win, LSU will advance to face South Carolina in the conference title game, and it will look for revenge after suffering a tight home loss to the Gamecocks earlier in the season.

That game will be on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT in Greenville, South Carolina. In the meantime, here are the photos from the win over the Rebels on Saturday night.

Instant Analysis: LSU takes down Ole Miss in SEC semifinal, advances to championship game vs. South Carolina

The Tigers advance to their first SEC championship since 2012, where they will look for revenge against the Gamecocks.

The LSU women’s basketball team withstood a third-quarter rally to beat Ole Miss 75-67 in the SEC Tournament quarterfinal on Saturday night, and now coach Kim Mulkey’s team will advance to its first conference championship game since 2012, where it will face South Carolina in the rematch.

Ole Miss shot just 3 of 17 in the first quarter, and the Tigers managed to stretch a 19-12 lead in the frame with [autotag]Aneesah Morrow[/autotag] and [autotag]Flau’Jae Johnson[/autotag] combining for 15 points.

The Rebels cut the lead to four in the second quarter, but LSU subsequently stretched it back out to 11 and took a 36-28 lead to the locker room.

The third quarter was a different story, though. Ole Miss got back in the game, outscoring the Tigers in the frame and cutting their lead to just two entering the final period.

The Rebels couldn’t keep LSU from pulling away, however, in large part thanks to some clutch shooting from Johnson, who finished with 21 points. Angel Reese also scored 21 while adding 17 rebounds, and Aneesah Morrow had a double-double of her own with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

It wasn’t all good news for the Tigers, however. Guard [autotag]Last-Tear Poa[/autotag], an important rotational player, was stretchered off the court after seemingly hitting her head. She was taken to a local hospital.

The Tigers will be back in action on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT as they look to get their revenge against South Carolina.

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LSU’s Last-Tear Poa stretchered off court after scary moment in SEC Tournament semifinal vs. Ole Miss

Last-Tear Poa was taken to a Greenville hospital for further evaluation, according to the broadcast.

Bon Secours Wellness Arena held its breath on Saturday night during the SEC Tournament semifinal matchup between LSU and Ole Miss.

In the fourth quarter of the game, LSU guard [autotag]Last-Tear Poa[/autotag] suffered an injury after appearing to hit her head on the court. She attempted to leave the court on her own power but was ultimately unable.

After being down for several minutes, Poa was immobilized with a neck brace and taken off the court via stretcher during a scary and emotional scene.

On the ESPNU broadcast, it was reported that Poa will be taken to St. Francis Hospital in downtown Greenville for further evaluation.

The junior from Melbourne, Australia, has played a key role coming off the bench this season for the Tigers, appearing in all 31 games while making nine starts.

We’ll keep you updated on any news regarding Poa’s status here on LSU Wire.

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PHOTOS: LSU women’s basktball beats Auburn by 30 in SEC Tournament quarterfinal

LSU is moving on to the semifinals after a convincing win on Friday.

The LSU women’s basketball team began its run in Greenville, South Carolina, at the SEC Tournament on Friday, and it was a successful start for coach Kim Mulkey’s squad.

The Tigers dominated Auburn 78-48, taking the rubber match of the season series as they advance to face either Florida or Ole Miss in the semifinal on Saturday.

It wasn’t all good news as [autotag]Angel Reese[/autotag] had to head to the locker room with an injury, and her status moving forward is unclear. That will be worth following, but in the meantime, here are the photos from the win on Friday night.