‘It’s South Carolina and everyone else’

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey recognizes No. 1 South Carolina for what they are: better than the rest of the women’s college basketball field.

“I’ll give my utmost respect and comments about how good they are, how big they are, how tall they are,” Mulkey said after LSU’s 88-64 loss to the Gamecocks. “It’s South Carolina, in my opinion, and everyone else. After playing them today, my opinion on that has not changed.

“They have things that we don’t have and a lot of the teams in the country don’t have. We aspire to be there one day.”

No. 3 LSU and South Carolina entered the game as the only unbeaten teams remaining in the country. The Gamecocks stifled Tigers sophomore and Player of the Year candidate Angel Reese, holding her to 16 points and four rebounds and snapping her streak of 23 consecutive double-doubles.

South Carolina’s bench overpowered the Tigers as much as their starting five. Reigning National Player of the Year Aliyah Boston had 14 points and nine rebounds, while junior center Kamilla Cardoso contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds for the only double-double of the game.

“I’ve always said [Cardoso] is a difference-maker. She’s a separator,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “If we don’t…