Expert women's basketball predictions for Dawn Staley, South Carolina vs Kim Mulkey, LSU

The most highly anticipated SEC women's basketball matchup of the season will take place at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

No. 1 South Carolina (17-0, 5-0 SEC) plays at No. 9 LSU (18-2, 5-1) on Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN). ESPN's College GameDay will preview the matchup that will play a significant role in determining the SEC regular season champion.

The picks are in – here's who women's basketball experts across the country think will emerge victorious from the matchup between the Gamecocks and Tigers.

Cory Diaz, The Daily Advertiser

South Carolina 93, LSU 79: Everything LSU struggles with defensively, South Carolina does extremely well on offense, i.e. shoot the 3-ball and transition offense. Angel Reese and Aneesah Morrow haven’t matched up with anyone this season like Kamilla Cardoso in the post. LSU’s crowd will play a role early, but the Gamecocks will settle in and pull away.

Lindsay Schnell, USA Today

LSU 71, South Carolina 66: A track meet or a defensive slugfest? It’s hard to know exactly what will happen when two of the most talented teams in the country collide, but I’m leaning LSU purely because of where the game is being played. As Arkansas coach Mike Neighbors said, the Tigers crowd is worth 8-10 points. So I’ll give a (very slight) edge to LSU, but won’t be surprised at any outcome.

Stefan Krajisnik, Clarion Ledger

South Carolina 78, LSU 75: This South Carolina team had the talent to step into big shoes and be successful this season, but what’s been impressive is how Staley’s team has played away from home. Baton Rouge will be a step up in terms of hostile environments, but I think the Gamecocks will be up for the challenge and eliminate any debate about who the best team is in the SEC.

David Eckert, Clarion Ledger

South Carolina 78, LSU 75. Though LSU’s roster is full of elite scoring talent and its points per game average is the best in college basketball, South Carolina’s attack has been more efficient. Despite considerable roster turnover, Dawn Staley has built the nation’s best 3-point shooting team that also owns the country’s top overall field goal percentage. The Gamecocks’ defense has been better, too. Winning in Baton Rouge won’t be easy, but this new-look South Carolina team has what it takes.

Cora Hall, Knox News

South Carolina 85, LSU 76: If this game wasn't at the PMAC, I'd predict a blowout win for South Carolina. But LSU will have a home court advantage, so the Tigers will hang in there and make it an exciting game. The Gamecocks are too good, though – like, historically good, on both ends of the court – for LSU to pull off an upset and hand them their first loss of the season.

Emily Adams, Hartford Courant

South Carolina 81, LSU 72: The Gamecocks fall behind early thanks to a rowdy crowd in Baton Rouge, but the defense locks down in the second half. Kamilla Cardoso logs her 11th double-double of the season while keeping Angel Reese fewer than 20 points.

David Cloninger, The Post and Courier

South Carolina 84, LSU 78: LSU relies on being able to out-score the opponent. South Carolina out-scores its opponents because it plays defense as fiercely as it scores.

Mark Schindler, Seven Star Digital

South Carolina 79, LSU 68: South Carolina is once again the best defensive team in the country while playing with a new verve on offense. Every individual is a playmaker, they shoot the ball incredibly well, they dominate the interior, they own the glass.

LSU is a legit national title contender, but it has flaws. This team does not shoot the bell well or often from deep. They are strong defensively and can beat you in transition, but they can struggle in the halfcourt. This could be a massive step forward for LSU, or another moment of continuation for South Carolina – I’d bank on the latter without discounting the former.

Caroline Makauskas, Lexington Herald-Leader

South Carolina 89, LSU 76: This new-look South Carolina roster has done nothing but demonstrate its ability to play together, hard, against some of the nation’s toughest competition — while LSU appears, at times, to still be finding a way to thrive under pressure. The Tigers have everything they need to make this one competitive, but South Carolina’s defense and rebounding should keep the Gamecocks undefeated.

Aria Gerson, Tennessean

South Carolina 89, LSU 80: Although the game is in Baton Rouge, LSU is unproven against the kind of top-tier teams that the Gamecocks have proven they can beat. South Carolina’s elite 3-point shooting should travel well.

Alexis Cubit, Courier Journal

South Carolina 88, LSU 84: South Carolina is playing on another level right now with young talents in Raven Johnson and MiLaysia Fulwiley, the full development of Kamilla Cardoso and a transfer in Te-Hina Paopao. It'll be close because of all the talent LSU has, too, and the way it rebounded from the loss to Auburn – but the Gamecocks will get the final say against the defending champs in what's sure to give women's college basketball fans their money's worth.

Marisa Ingemi, San Francisco Chronicle

South Carolina 75, LSU 67: This is no hate on LSU, because I think by now we’ve learned not to doubt them – but I don’t feel like I can pick against South Carolina until they show some cracks, which they really haven’t this season. If anything, the Gamecocks have proven they’re still the best in the country even without Aliyah Boston. I’m not going to doubt them until they make me.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Women's basketball experts pick winner of South Carolina vs LSU