No. 3 South Carolina beats No. 6 LSU 79-72, extending winning streak against the Tigers to 18 games

Tessa Johnson scored 21 points to lead the Gamecocks to victory over the Tigers.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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No. 3 South Carolina defeated No. 6 LSU 79-72 on Saturday night, extending the Gamecocks' winning streak against the Tigers to 18 games. Tessa Johnson led South Carolina with 21 points, while Raven Johnson added 19. LSU had chances to take the lead late, but missed key free throws and layups down the stretch.

Why it matters

This was an important SEC matchup between two top-10 teams, with South Carolina continuing its dominant run over LSU. The loss drops the Tigers to 8-4 in conference play, while the Gamecocks improve to 11-1 in the SEC and remain in contention for a high NCAA Tournament seed.

The details

South Carolina trailed for much of the first half, but took a 41-40 lead at halftime. The Gamecocks then used a 9-2 run in the third quarter to build a 50-42 advantage. LSU made a late push, cutting the deficit to one point, but South Carolina closed out the game with six straight points to secure the victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 15, 2026.
  • South Carolina extended its winning streak over LSU to 18 games.

The players

Tessa Johnson

The leading scorer for South Carolina, who had 21 points in the game.

Raven Johnson

A key contributor for the Gamecocks, scoring 19 points.

Flau'jae Johnson

An LSU player who missed two crucial free throws late in the game.

Mikaylah Williams

An LSU player who scored 11 points in the loss.

Madina Okot

A South Carolina player who recorded a double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

South Carolina will next face No. 23 Alabama on Thursday, while LSU will travel to take on No. 16 Ole Miss, also on Thursday.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the continued dominance of the South Carolina women's basketball program, as they extended their winning streak over LSU to 18 games. The loss drops the Tigers to 8-4 in SEC play, making their path to a high NCAA Tournament seed more difficult.