No. 1 South Carolina drops No. 3 LSU, 88-64, snaps Angel Reese's double-double streak in battle of unbeatens

No. 1 South Carolina didn't only hold on to its undefeated season, it performed another note of dominance. The Gamecocks (25-0, 12-0 SEC) pulled away in the second half from No. 3 ranked LSU (23-1, 11-1 SEC) to win, 88-64, at home in a battle of the last two undefeated teams in Division I women's basketball to solidify their status as national title favorites.

The tilt was billed as the game of the year and fittingly played hours before the Super Bowl kicked off in Arizona. The anticipation was high after Ohio State lost its first game of the season three weeks ago to leave the two SEC sides alone in the unbeaten category. It was the first time since 1993 that two SEC teams ranked in the top-5 faced off. The contest is the only regular-season matchup between the two and will likely determine the SEC regular season champion.

It was also a one-on-one matchup of two of the widely accepted national player of the year contenders in LSU's Angel Reese and South Carolina's Aliyah Boston, who is the reigning winner. Reese struggled against the length and talent of South Carolina's frontcourt and got into early foul trouble with an ill-advised hold of Boston on a press. She had a double-double in every game of the season before Sunday, but fell below her season averages (23.5 ppg/15.8 rpg) with 16 points (5-of-15) and four rebounds.

Boston was as efficient and dominant as always with 14 points (5-of-9) and nine rebounds, but it was junior Kamilla Cardoso, with a few assists from Boston, who came up huge in another strong game for the big. Cardoso created South Carolina's separation in the second half and finished with 18 points (7-of-9) and 13 rebounds in 21 minutes.

How South Carolina defeated LSU

Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, has ben sold out for this one since late January and the fans, donned in a mix of pink for the Play4Kay game and Gamecock scarlet, roared early and often.

The Tigers, who have not played in many high-energy games and none in a hostile environment, came out flat and trailed by a season-high 11 points within four minutes. They clawed back within single digits, but could never overcome the deficit enough to force a close game. It was a 42-32 South Carolina lead at half and 64-48 heading into the final frame.

South Carolina dominated on the glass, 43-25. The Gamecocks average 49.9 per game to rank third in the nation and LSU averages 50.4, ranking second. They have the two highest rebounding rates in Division I. South Carolina won in paint points, 46-38, and had more blocks, 10-6. As is common with one of the deepest teams in the nation, the SC bench outscored LSU, 34-15.

Five players reached double digits for South Carolina, which had one of its strongest shooting games of the season (35-of-61 for 57%). Senior guard Zia Cooke scored 17 points and was locked in early, going for nine points on 4-of-6 shots in the first quarter. Point guard Raven Johnson played 21 minutes off the bench and scored 10 (5-of-7) with three assists. Senior guard Brea Beal had 11 points (4-of-7) and hit both of South Carolina's 3-pointers. She added seven rebounds and four assists. Laeticia Amihere scored six points and had six rebounds.

Alexis Morris, a fifth-year transfer guard, led LSU with 23 points (11-of-29) and six rebounds. But no one else stepped up around her to help and the Tigers fell behind quickly. No player outside of Morris, Reese and freshman guard Sa'Myah Smith (seven points, six rebounds, two assists) had more than six points or three rebounds.

Fouls were also an issue for LSU. Reese drew two before the first quarter was out and had to play timidly when she re-entered in the second quarter. Senior guard LaDazhia Williams fouled out, Reese and Smith finished with four and freshman guard Flau'jae Johnson had three. The team was 40% from the floor overall.

It was the first time two SEC teams met when were both 20-0 or better and also the first time two met that were 10-0 or better in conference play.

March Madness implications

The DI women's basketball selection committee announced its first top-16 reveal on Thursday night and South Carolina was the No. 1 overall seed. ESPN reported it was the one team the group did not need to discuss. There is very little that could happen over the course of the next few weeks that would sway that. LSU is on the 2-seed line as the No. 5 team in the selection team's rankings and the program with the best chance currently at moving up into the 1-seed line.

The committee uses NET as one of its criteria for seeding teams in the tournament. It also balances availability of talent, bad losses, common opponents, competitive play, significant wins, strength of schedule/conference, among other aspects.

South Carolina's strength of schedule entering Sunday is ranked fourth by Massey and the Gamecocks have significant wins over Stanford, Maryland and UConn. They have not lost since the SEC tournament championship game a year ago.

LSU's strength of schedule going into Sunday is ranked 59th by Massey. Four programs in the committee's top-16 list have Massey SOS above 20: Texas (21), Virginia Tech (26) and Villanova (47). Based on the committee's views of LSU in the first reveal, it doesn't seem likely they would suddenly drop the Tigers all the way down and off the 2-line based on the loss.

LSU's tournament resume

The Tigers played a light and easy non-conference schedule that included blowouts against Bellarmine (+75), Mississippi Valley (+70), Western Carolina (+73), Houston Christian (+54) and Northwestern State (+55). LSU head coach Kim Mulkey said earlier in the season the schedule was so weak because she didn't know at the time of scheduling they'd roster Reese and the rest of the strong transfer group.

“We inherited a program that won nine basketball games, and if you think I am going to over-schedule before I know what I have, that would be a terrible mistake,” Mulkey said in November, via Nola.com.

The SEC has also been an easier ride than in previous years and is ranked fifth in Massy Ratings strength of schedule behind the rest of the Power Five conferences. LSU came into Sunday's contest having faced only one team ranked in the AP Top 25 with a win over then-No. 24 Arkansas, 69-45, in December. When they played again in mid-January, it was a three-point win and Arkansas had already fallen out of the rankings.

It began a rough stretch for one of the best-ranked teams in the country. Tennessee played LSU to the final possessions in a raucous Maravich Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Later that week, LSU narrowly escaped Georgia in overtime in an ugly offensive ending for the programs. And a week ago, Texas A&M nearly upset the Tigers.

LSU has Ole Miss (19-5, 8-3) at home, a road trip to Florida (14-11, 3-9) and Vanderbilt (11-15, 2-10), and a home finale against Mississippi State (17-7, 6-5) ahead of the SEC tournament.