LSU is 20-0, has one of the best offenses in the country and one of the most dynamic stars in the game. South Carolina is South Carolina. This top-five race was postponed a day due to winter storms plaguing the Southeast, but the hype was still off the table.

How to watch No. 5 LSU at No. 2 South Carolina

Location: Colonial Life Arena – Columbia, South Carolina

Time: Friday, 5 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Streaming: Fubo (try it for free)

Looking face to face? Get your tickets on Stubhub.

Despite the rescheduling, the game will still be on ESPN, but the College GameDay show will not be part of the broadcast. Friday marks Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley's second outing since her record-setting contract extension. Her lifetime record against Tigers coach Kim Mulkey is 5-2.

South Carolina hasn't lost to LSU since 2012. It has not given up a home game since 2020. Over the past four seasons, the dynasty program has two national championships and four total losses.

This year's iteration is much less impressive than previous teams with Kamilla Cardoso, Aliyah Boston, and Zia Cooke. No Gamecocks average double-digit field goal attempts, while five players score between 9.5 and 12 points per game. They lead the country from the bench. They don't do a ton of damage on the perimeter, but dominate on the inside. Chloe Kitts came to the fore, leading the team in rebounds and finishing just seventh within minutes. Joyce Edwards is the SEC Freshman of the Week and a perpetual mismatch around the paint. In Sunday's blowout against Oklahoma State, she scored 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting.

Beating SEC teams with margins of victory is just silly — beating No. 5 Texas by 17, beating Missouri, Mississippi State and Texas A&M by more than 30 each, holding Oklahoma State and Alabama rankings. Friday marked the school’s sixth opponent of the season.

But LSU can hang here. Of course, it touts leading talent to make it close. Flau'jae Johnson really "came out a beast" in 2025, increasing her numbers while maintaining efficiency. She's one of the most transformed pure scorers in the sport and looks increasingly confident establishing jumpers. As a result, her toys are indeed opening:

Aneesah Morrow is coming off a strong season in her senior season, leading Division I with 3.0 blocks (blocks + steals) per game. LSU ranks second in total rebounds and third in offensive glass.

Both teams like to play fast and get inside. As the two most recent national champions, the programs have been building contentious rivalries. This Friday night matchup has Game of the Year potential.

This article originally appeared in Sports.

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