LSU beating South Carolina is really all mental

Absolutely. We start playing scared.

We out hustled them, just didn’t hit the shots in the 4th, and left home girl open too much in the first half.

I agree, should have bodied her up, they were letting them play physical in first half.

It's like football against Bama...

I agree with the mental comment but we do not have more talent and what's more, Dawn is a better coach. A few things about Mulkey: Kim has not had or developed an LSU player who performed like either of the Johnson girls tonight. Combined, those two women accounted for HALF of USCs points. 2nd, Far be it for me to criticize Kim's substitution practices but Williams would have to foul out for me to take her out of the game. Kim's wholesale substitutions are very curious and make it hard for a 5 to get into a rhythm. Kim's teams just seem to get spastic in transition, they get over excited, lose poise and create these god awful mistakes that end up as turnovers or missed layups. It's seems girls come of the bench and try too hard to impress somebody into making them a starter. Please excuse me but I don't get it. Kim knew Johnson could hurl 3s, so why didn't she have that contingency to defend her from the tip? What took trying 3 players to defend her? USC is poised and methodical, they don't panic or get spastic, they don't rewrite the playbook mid game. They are better developed and better coached.

I'm not convinced that it's all mental.

LSU has the capability to win the National Championship but first must learn how to close out games. You're down 3 points with approximately 27 seconds to go, why are you taking a 25 jumper instead of driving to the paint to draw a foul when you're in the bonus? You hit your free throws then foul their worst free throw shooter or at least make them hit their free throws.

To win the big (and little) close games, LSU must hit free throws and be smart with the ball.

This was a game LSU should have won. It showed me they can beat anybody. Protect the ball (low turnovers), hit free throws (a must) and play smart at the end.

On a side note: If Jada hits her normal shots we win. I love Hines...she shows a lot of heart.

Nope..
They have a few more good players and, even if you find Staley annoying, she's a helluva coach. As for the mental conditioning, I think the SC players play with more control and focus and that, to at least some large measure, is due to Staley.