Live updates from No. 1 South Carolina vs. No. 3 LSU — battle of ...

After much anticipation leading up to the undefeated matchup, No. 1 South Carolina downs No. 3 LSU 88-64 to remain the only unbeaten team. 

LSU takes its first loss of the season falling to 23-1; the Gamecocks improve 25-0, 12-0 in the SEC.   

“They only want to win and they're going to do their part for that. to happen,” coach Dawn Staley said. “It just clicks. They just respect each other, they hold each other accountable.” 

The Gamecocks jumped out to an 18-2 start making a statement early. The Tigers fought back to hang around but couldn’t get over the hump. 

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Kamilla Cardoso paced South Carolina with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Zia Cooke followed with 17 points,  and Aliyah Boston added 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. 

Alexis Morris scored a game-high 23 points on 29 shots. Angel Reese fell short of her 24th straight double-double behind an intense defensive effort by Brea Beal. Reese was held to 16 points on 5-for-15 shooting and nearly fouled out with four fouls. 

The nation’s best defense showed up and then some. South Carolina held the Tigers to 64 points, 18 below their season average. 

The sold-out crowd of over 18,000 cheered on the defensive clinic. When Beal locked up a Tigers guard leaving her nowhere to go but dribble side-to-side above the arc, the fans roared. After Aliyah Boston bodied Reese in the paint, blocking the attempt which dropped Reese to the ground — that earned a standing ovation. 

WHAT A BLOCK BY ALIYAH BOSTON ???? pic.twitter.com/KigsnoAF50

— ESPN (@espn) February 12, 2023

“Our fans, they’re students of the game,” coach Dawn Staley said. “They understand how we created our success, and it's on the backbone of playing defense.” 

The Gamecock's physicality proved too much for LSU. South Carolina outrebounded the Tigers 43-25, and scored 46 points in the paint compared to 38. 

Last Sunday, Staley’s squad went into Connecticut and beat No. 4 UConn. In November, they battled then-No. 2 Stanford and won in overtime. South Carolina is now in a league of its own as the sole undefeated team in DI basketball.  Hanging directly above Gamecocks’ basket is their 2022 national championship banner. And much like the banner, this season's rendition of South Carolina stands above the rest.