Bree Hall's go-ahead three lifts #1 South Carolina women's basketball over #9 LSU

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Bree Hall hit two three-pointers, including the go-ahead shot, and Raven Johnson sealed #1 South Carolina’s 76-70 win over #9 LSU.

Hall scored eight of her ten points in the fourth quarter. She hit a three-pointer to break a 67-67 tie, but LSU’s Hailey Van Lith got free for a three to tie it. On the next possession, Hall turned down a three early in the shot clock. 

With the shot clock winding down, Kamilla Cardoso drew the double team in the post and kicked out to Hall in the corner. Hall hit the go-ahead three with 1:11 left. Van Lith tried to answer with an off-balance three, but her shot was off and Cardoso grabbed the miss. 

Dawn Staley called a timeout to settle the Gamecocks. Johnson milked the shot clock all the way down, and then blew by Van Lith for a layup that put the Gamecocks up 75-70 with 22 seconds left. Johnson added another free throw to cap off her 13-point, nine rebound, four assist game.

Hall scored the game’s first basket, but then LSU took control. The Tigers led 12-11 at the media timeout and then went on a 12-4 run. They led by as much as 11 multiple times in the second quarter, but a three-pointer by MiLaysia Fulwiley at the halftime buzzer cut LSU’s lead to 41-36 at the break.

In the third quarter, South Carolina settled down defensively and established Cardoso (eight of her 11 points in the second half) in the paint. Three times, the Gamecocks cut LSU’s lead to one point, but each time they failed to capitalize.

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Angel Reese picked up her fourth foul trying to box out Cardoso with 8:20 left in the game. South Carolina immediately went on an 11-4 run to take a 63-61 lead, its first since the opening minute of the game. Te-Hina Paopao, who had been quiet for most fo the game, scored seven of her 12 points during the run.

Reese, who had 15 points and eight rebounds, came back in and LSU retook the lead, going up 67-65. But a bad pass led to a steal by Johnson. Johnson went coast-to-coast and drew the fifth foul on Reese with 4:02 left. Johnson made both free throws to tie the game.

Chloe Kitts and Aneesah Morrow went at each other for much of the first quarter. Morrow had 10 of her 16 points in the first quarter while Kitts had nine of her 14 points. Morrow picked up her second foul in the second quarter and had to sit. She never quite found the same rhythm after that, although she did grab 10 rebounds. 

All ten starters scored in double figures, and both starting lineups logged heavy minutes. South Carolina shot 48% and went 7-20 from three. LSU shot 45% and went 6-18 from three, but Mikaylah Williams, the Tigers’s best shooter, was just 1-10.

RELATED: South Carolina-LSU Box Score

Notes:

Paopao also hit a buzzer-beating three at the end of the first quarter. … South Carolina got 16 bench points while LSU had four. South Carolina played nine players while LSU played seven. … Fulwiley had eight points and Sania Feagin had six. Ashlyn Watkins got in early foul trouble and didn’t play her normal minutes, but she made a critical fourth-quarter basket. … LSU dominated the glass for three quarters, but South Carolina outrebounded LSU 12-4 in the fourth quarter and finished the game plus-two. … South Carolina was 7-13 from the line. LSU was 4-9. … South Carolina had four turnovers in the first quarter, but just eight the rest of the game. … Dawn Staley’s outfit: Staley wore a black Coco Chanel hoodie with “Together” printed above the pocket. … Announced attendance was 13,205. … South Carolina’s next game is against Vanderbilt on Sunday.

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