South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley once shared her thoughts on her program’s budding rivalry with Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers. In Jan. of this year, Staley was interviewed on the SEC Network, wherein she was asked to give her take on the Gamecocks vs Tigers rivalry.
This is because, at that time, the head-to-head matchup between South Carolina and LSU was going to uncork another chapter, with their first conference matchup of the 2024-25 season being in the former’s home arena. Staley knew that it had become a premier SEC rivalry, one that already included both of their fan bases, and she was confident of selling out their home floor whenever they faced LSU.
“It’s a rivalry. It really is, with how many people on the Tigers, their fans, our fans. It’s not only a rivalry between the programs on the floor, but it’s a rivalry with the fanbases because you can’t say one bad thing about LSU without LSU fans hopping on our fans. You can’t say nothing about Gamecocks fans, like, nothing that is not positive, or else they’re, you know, jawing back and forth,” Staley said (0:09).
“ But, I think it is so very good for our game that people are very interested in this rivalry. You know, we are fortunate but unfortunate college game day isn’t going to be here. But, I’m sure the people that’s gonna pack Colonial Life Arena at 5:00 p.m. on Friday are gonna get a treat. They’re gonna get their money’s worth,” she added.
This matchup never disappoints.
Dawn Staley reflects on the rivalry between @GamecockWBB & @lsuwbkb 🍿 pic.twitter.com/SbLn5WdRyg
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) January 23, 2025
Staley and the Gamecocks went on to defeat Mulkey and the Tigers in their Jan. 24, 2025, matchup, which was played in the Colonial Life Arena, by 10 points, 66-56. South Carolina finished the 2024-25 season with an overall record of 35-4 (15-1 SEC) in contrast to LSU’s 31-6 overall record (12-4 SEC). Unfortunately for Mulkey and the Tigers, the Gamecocks went on to win this year’s SEC regular season championship and conference tournament title.
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Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks have a 5-2 record against Kim Mulkey and the LSU Tigers
Ever since Kim Mulkey took over as the head coach of the LSU Tigers in 2021, she has become one of the premier rivals of Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Unfortunately for her, however, Staley is currently leading their head-to-head series from 2021 onwards with a 5-2 record. Both squads are expected to duke it out once again when the 2025-26 college basketball season commences.
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