No. 5 LSU heads to No. 2 South Carolina on Friday for a 5 PM tipoff. Two heated matchups last season, including in the SEC championship, fostered competitiveness from the teams led by two of the best head coaches in the game.

For the uninitiated, the ending of the 2024 SEC Championship game between Staley’s Gamecocks and Kim Mulkey’s Tigers was muddied by an on-court altercation. LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson intentionally fouled USC’s MiLaysia Fulwiley, which led to Johnson shoving USC’s Ashlyn Watkins. And that led to USC’s Kamilla Cardoso pushing Johnson to the ground.