GREENVILLE, S.C. — A highly competitive women’s college basketball SEC tournament championship game between LSU and South Carolina will go down as ‘the one with the fight.’
The No. 2 seed Tigers (28-5) and No. 1 Gamecocks (32-0) traded metaphorical haymakers for nearly 38 minutes and were within seven points of each other when the pot boiled over inside Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Sunday afternoon.
‘Do you realize that was only foul called on both teams with two minutes to go with the fourth quarter? Are you kidding me?’ LSU coach Kim Mulkey said following her team’s 79-72 loss to South Carolina on Sunday. ‘It might’ve created some of that. Not the way we play, we’re going to foul your ass. Not the way they play, they’re going to foul your ass.
‘But you only blew that whistle one time? Think about that now.’
With 2:08 remaining in the game, South Carolina freshman MiLaysia Fulwiley stripped the ball from LSU sophomore Flau’jae Johnson, who grabbed her as she started up the court for an intentional foul.
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After the foul was called, South Carolina’s Ashlyn Watkins approached Johnson. The two exchanged words before Johnson gave Watkins a forearm shove. That’s when South Carolina star senior center Kamilla Cardoso rushed Johnson and laid her out with a body check.
The skirmish near the scorer’s table led to Cardoso’s ejection, along with the bench players from both teams with the exception of South Carolina’s Sania Feagin and starter Te-Hina Paopao. The two were allowed to stay because, when the fight broke out, Feagin did not leave the bench area and Paopao was already at the scorer’s table ready to check into the game.
ESPN identified Johnson’s brother as the fan who leapt onto the court during the scuffle and was immediately detained by local authorities.
‘What I saw, Flau’jae intentionally fouled Fulwiley because she stripped her. Great move because she was going to get a layup right there. And then some jawing went on with her and another player. Then the next thing I know Cardoso just waylaid her,’ Mulkey said. ‘So I ran out there because somebody came out of the stands, and I think it was Flau’jae’s brother, trying to keep him from doing anything crazy.
‘That was all I know. I can’t tell from my bench how many left the court. They saw it on film and said everybody had to go. And I think one player from South Carolina didn’t leave the bench, but my question is, I don’t really know the rules, but why didn’t the coaches get tossed if they left the bench? Wouldn’t that be a hell of an ending? I guess it’s just the players that leave the bench area.
‘It’s ugly. It’s not good. No one wants to be a part of that. No one wants to see that ugliness. But I can tell you this: I wish she would’ve pushed Angel Reese. Don’t push a kid – you’re 6-foot-8 – don’t push somebody that little. That was uncalled for in my opinion. Let those two girls that were jawing, let them go at it.’