South Carolina women's basketball's long-awaited matchup against LSU has arrived.

The rivalry has returned as Dawn Staley's No. 1 Gamecocks (17-0, 5-0 SEC) head into Baton Rouge to take on Kim Mulkey's No. 9 Tigers (18-2, 5-1) in a top-10 clash at a sold-out Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The game is littered with star power. The Gamecocks flaunt five players averaging double-digit scoring, led by Kamilla Cardoso (13.3 points), Te-Hina Paopao (12.5) and MiLaysia Fulwiley (11.7).

LSU has six, led by Angel Reese (19.9), Aneesah Morrow (18.1) and Mikaylah Williams (16.4).

MORE: Watch South Carolina women's basketball at LSU live with Fubo (free trial)

Despite the high profile of the South Carolina-LSU rivalry the past few years, the Gamecocks have dominated the series of late, winning 14 consecutive games. The Tigers, however, still hold an all-time 22-18 series advantage.

The teams also entered last season's matchup undefeated. Cardoso was the star, with 18 points and 13 rebounds off the bench to lead South Carolina to an 88-64 victory. LSU, however, got the last laugh when it lifted the national championship trophy in April.

Bree Hall hits two 3-pointers to put game away

Bree Hall gave South Carolina the lead with a 3-pointer after Johnson's free throws. Van Lith answered, though, to tie the game again with 1:42 left.

But Hall drained her second 3-pointer of the night on the next possession to put the game away, coming up big for the Gamecocks once again. South Carolina went on to win 76-70 after Johnson hit a layup and free throw, ending the game on a 6-0 run.

Angel Reese fouls out with four minutes left

Van Lith turned the ball over on an inbound pass, and Johnson drove down the court. Reese chased down Johnson and tried to block her layup from behind. Instead she caught Johnson's arm and was called for her fifth foul. She left the game with four minutes left, and Johnson's free throws tied it 67-67.

Kamilla Cardoso gives South Carolina first lead since first quarter

Cardoso posted up, and LSU freshman Aalyah Del Rosario couldn't stop her. Cardoso finished at the rim to give the Gamecocks a 63-61 lead with 5:58 left, their first since the beginning of the game. Mulkey immediately called a timeout with South Carolina on a 6-0 run. Former South Carolina star Aliyah Boston was shown in the crowd cheering on her former teammate.

Paopao's free throws tied the game at 61-61 with just over six minutes left in the game.

Angel Reese called for fourth foul at beginning of fourth quarter

Reese and Cardoso were boxing out for a rebound when Reese was whistled for her fourth foul. Reese was shown grabbing Cardoso's jersey on the replay, and Reese headed to the bench with 8:20 left in the game.

LSU holds four-point lead going into fourth quarter

South Carolina held LSU to only 15 points, the lowest of any quarter so far, and scored eight points off six LSU turnovers. But the Gamecocks couldn't take the lead. They cut the lead to one point twice, but couldn't take over. Neither team made a 3-pointer in the third quarter.

MiLaysia Fulwiley hits buzzer-beater 3-pointer at halftime

LSU couldn't score on what could have been the last possession of the first half, and Raven Johnson grabbed the rebound and got down the court immediately.

Johnson found Fulwiley on the wing and the freshman guard knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut LSU's lead to five points at halftime. Fulwiley was crucial in the second quarter, scoring eight points on 3-for-4 shooting in four minutes.

Dawn Staley calls timeout after five straight points by Flau'jae Johnson

Hailey Van Lith poked the ball out of MiLaysia Fulwiley's hands and got it to Flau'jae Johnson for an easy layup in transition. Then Johnson hit a deep 3-pointer with a hand in her face in front of South Carolina's bench for five straight points and Staley had seen enough, calling a timeout with 1:19 left in the second. LSU led 41-30.

Angel Reese explodes in second quarter

Reese was getting to the rim to start the second quarter, scoring eight points on layups within the first two and a half minutes. LSU had 20 points in the paint by the media timeout with 4:49 left before halftime and led 34-25.

Te-Hina Paopao hits buzzer-beater 3-pointer

Paopao hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the first quarter. South Carolina ended the first quarter on a 5-0 run to cut the lead to 24-18.

Kamilla Cardoso blocks Angel Reese

Reese tried to drive to the basket, but Cardoso was there to swat the layup attempt – and give on of her signature post-block staredowns after it.

LSU goes on 9-0 run to take early lead

After the first media timeout, Staley subbed out Raven Johnson and Kamilla Cardoso. LSU promptly went on a 9-0 run.

Morrow made back-to-back layups, the second off an offensive rebound, and Reese made the free throw on her and-one layup. Williams knocked down a jumper to give LSU a 21-11 lead with two minutes left in the first.

Chloe Kitts leads Gamecocks in first quarter

Sophomore forward Chloe Kitts got things going for South Carolina to start. The Gamecocks weren't in rhythm to start the game offensively, committing three early turnovers.

But Kitts logged seven early points on 3-for-3 shooting to help South Carolina keep pace with the Tigers.

Aneesah Morrow starts off hot from deep for LSU

Morrow knocked down a 3-pointer to give LSU an early 5-2 lead over the Gamecocks.

Both teams traded buckets to start the first quarter, and Morrow drained a second 3-pointer just under four minutes later to put the Tigers up 12-8, scoring six early points on 2-for-2 shooting.

What channel is South Carolina women's basketball at LSU on today?

• TV channel: ESPN

• Streaming: Fubo TV (free trial)

South Carolina women's basketball at LSU start time

• DATE: Jan. 25

• TIPOFF: 8 p.m. ET

• VENUE: Pete Maravich Assembly Center (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

South Carolina women's basketball live score updates vs. LSU

South Carolina women's basketball schedule 2024

South Carolina's next five games:

• Jan. 28: vs. Vanderbilt, 3 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Feb. 1: at Auburn, 8 p.m. (SEC Network+)

• Feb. 4: vs. Ole Miss, 2 p.m. (ESPN2)

• Feb. 8: vs. Missouri, 7 p.m. (SEC Network)

• Feb. 11: vs. UConn, 2 p.m. (ESPN)

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: South Carolina women's basketball score updates vs LSU in SEC game