Joyce Edwards, No. 2 South Carolina hand No. 5 LSU first loss of season
Joyce Edwards scored 14 points and Sania Feagin added 12 points and seven rebounds as No. 2 South Carolina beat fifth-ranked LSU 66-56 on Friday to end the Tigers' undefeated season.
The Gamecocks (19-1, 7-0 Southeastern Conference) won their 17th straight over LSU and all five since Kim Mulkey took over as Tigers coach. The showdown, delayed from a scheduled Thursday night primetime slot due to a winter storm, had all the drama typical of meetings between the teams that have won the past three national titles.
Aneesah Morrow had 15 points and 16 rebounds, and Flau'jae Johnson added 13 for LSU (20-1, 5-1).
South Carolina opened a 10-point lead in the third quarter and LSU (20-1, 5-1) could not respond. The Tigers' loss leaves No. 1 UCLA, the only team to beat South Carolina this season, as the country's only remaining unbeaten team.
South Carolina has won 69 straight at home and 54 in a row in SEC regular-season games.
The Gamecocks held the Tigers to 5-for-20 shooting in the third quarter. Johnson, LSU's leading scorer, had just two points in the second half.
Takeaways
LSU: The Tigers have won a national title in coach Kim Mullkey's first three seasons, but they have lost all five matchups to the Gamecocks in that span.
South Carolina: There's little question about who's in charge of the SEC as the Gamecocks defeated four straight ranked league opponents.
Key moment
Te'Hina Paopao had just made a basket for a 41-35 lead when South Carolina forced two quick turnovers that turned into an easy basket to extend their third-quarter lead.
Key stat
South Carolina had 13 steals and 11 blocks against LSU.
Up Next
LSU hosts Texas A&M on Sunday, and South Carolina plays at Tennessee on Monday.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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