“I learned we can hang with the best in the country. And I do think they’re the best in the country.” That was Kim Mulkey’s honest takeaway after LSU’s hard-fought 56-66 loss to Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks at Colonial Life Arena. In a showdown between two titan coaches and powerhouses, it was Staley’s squad that emerged victorious, reaffirming their dominance in college basketball.

The highly anticipated showdown was originally set for primetime Thursday with ESPN College GameDay on-site but was rescheduled to Friday evening due to weather. Despite the change and the absence of ESPN’s signature college basketball coverage, the hype didn’t fade. South Carolina’s victory over LSU still drew an impressive 844,000 viewers, peaking at 1.1 million, proving the demand for this rivalry remains as strong as ever.

Despite delivering a blockbuster performance on the court, the post-game press conference stirred up even more drama. Elle Duncan, on the Elle Duncan Show, weighed in, calling Kim Mulkey’s remarks about the Gamecocks a bit too shady.

In the post-game conference, Kim said, ” Look, I don’t know that I’ve ever coached against a team that’s got 10 McDonald’s All-Americans on one roster. How do you even keep 10 on a roster? Well, you got 10 McDonald’s All-Americans, flip a coin, y’all can play any of them you want. You gotta keep them happy, right? I don’t have that, I have just gotta go with what I have.”

While there wasn’t much to read there for the co-host, Duncan was positive that the Tigers’ coach’s words did seem to hold something.

When analyzing the comments, Elle said, “The shade I sensed was I understood what she was saying but it was the slight at her own team– ‘I have just got to go with what I have’. Ouch. By comparison yes, South Carolina has 10 All- American and LSU has 3. But it felt a little bit like in my mind it felt like you’re minimizing a little bit of the system and of Dawn’s coaching.”

The Gamecocks, undoubtedly boast, the best bench in the nation, contributing about 51.6% of the team’s total on an average, and Staley is aware of it. Playing against LSU, she wanted to put it to best use.“Yes, we know they play six or seven players, and you have to use that against them,” she had said. Her strategy was to not let them (Tigers) rest. If there’s any truth to Duncan’s observations, this could have easily been a contributing factor.

Tigers came off the bench for a combined 29 minutes and couldn’t hold to South Carolina’s, who ended up contributing 32 points to the team’s 66.

There’s no denying that both Staley and Mulkey are among the top coaching minds in the country, and when these two clash, we should expect a little bit of mind games to spice things up! It’s all part of the high-stakes drama that makes their rivalry so compelling.

But with that behind, here’s who the Gamecocks and Tigers face next.

What’s next for Kim Mulkey and Dawn Staley

The Tigers are gearing up for two crucial home games, and the odds are in their favor! ESPN gives LSU a 74.2% chance to beat 13th-seed Oklahoma and an even stronger 87.6% chance to beat the Mississippi State. Kim Mulkey will be looking to guide her squad through a smoother week, aiming to get back on track and move up in the AP rankings.

The Gamecocks are set for a home and an away game for their next two matchups, and the odds are firmly in their favor too! ESPN gives South Carolina a 99% chance to win against Auburn at home and to defeat Georgia at Stegeman Coliseum. With such strong predictions, Dawn Staley will be looking to keep her squad on top and further solidify their dominance.

The Tigers currently trail South Carolina in SEC standings with 6-1 and ae number 5 overall with 21-1. It was the Gamecocks back in 2023 too that had snapped their 23-game unbeaten streak. That’s a campaign LSU’d probably like to remember as they bounce back. A 64-51 win against Texas A&M in less than 48 hours was a good start.