"People are invested in this rivalry" LSU, South Carolina set for another blockbuster

With Kim Mulkey and LSU stuck in the snow the past two days, the SEC was forced to postpone LSU vs. South Carolina from Thursday night to Friday at 4 p.m. CT. The change has give fans and media another day to stew on the contest and discuss what’s ahead between these two Goliaths of the sport.

Last year, LSU and South Carolina played twice, which was two single-digit wins by South Carolina on the way to a championship. The first game was an incredible contest that came down to the final minute in the PMAC at LSU. The second was in the SEC Championship game which was physical, heated, and eventually erupted with a fourth quarter scuffle which led to ejections and ample drama. While the Tigers have never beaten the Gamecocks under Kim Mulkey, the two have won the last three championships and captivate the country every time they meet.

“It’s a rivalry,” Dawn Staley said. “It’s a game that we want to win, obviously because we only play them once and you want the tiebreaker advantage. It’s still just a game. Win or lose, you still have everything in front of you. It makes it harder if you lose, especially in this conference, so we’re glad its at home.”

The situation in the SEC title game may force a tighter whistle on Friday, especially considering the physicality of these two sides. Staley says it will likely be an adjustment for her team with how they defend if the game is called tight and it’s fair to assume Mulkey would feel the same way.

“With their fans and our fans, it’s not only a rivalry between the programs on the floor, but a rivalry with the fan bases,” Staley said. “You can’t say one bad thing about LSU without LSU fans hopping on our fans and you can’t say nothing that’s not positive to Gamecock fans or they’re jawing back and forth. I think it’s very good for our sport. People are invested in this rivalry. The people that pack Colonial Life Arena at 5 p.m. on Friday are going to get their moneys worth.”

Kim Mulkey has not been able to hold any media availability with the winter storm hitting Baton Rouge this week. LSU was forced to practice on Monday instead of Tuesday and even on Wednesday, traveling was extremely challenging.

Mulkey and Staley are two of the most well-known coaches in the game and their energy elevates the sport every time they meet. They both lead awesome teams this year as the Tigers come in 20-0 and No. 5 in the latest AP Poll, while South Carolina is 18-1 and No. 2 in the AP Poll entering this contest.

“Kim is Kim and I’m me,” Staley said. ” We both have strong personalities and are super competitive, but we also know it is not about us. It’s more about the players and their ability to execute on Friday…It’s awesome for our sport. It’s awesome for our game. It’s awesome for our league. It’s great to participate in rivalry games and hopefully we put some great basketball on the floor.”

“Kim does a great job when she loses a player, inserting another player and they can play the same style which has been very successful for her. They’re going to come in here and want to silence the crowd and stay undefeated and we’re on the opposite end of the spectrum.”