In what could be the most pivotal SEC matchup of the season, the ninth-ranked LSU women's basketball team is preparing to host the undefeated No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks this Thursday.

South Carolina, led by coach Dawn Staley, has been nothing short of dominant, winning their five SEC games by an impressive average of nearly 35 points and maintaining a flawless record in college basketball.

LSU navigating its own journey this season of mixing new talent with established players like Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson. Despite a loss against Auburn on Jan. 14, the Tigers remain a formidable force in the conference, trailing South Carolina by just a half-game.

LSU women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey remains optimistic and resolute in the face of challenges.

“As I told the team, ‘Our goals have not been destroyed just because you lost to Auburn,’” Mulkey said, via Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press. “This is just a little obstacle in the road. And it’s one, as I said after the South Carolina game last year, ‘You either learn from this or you don’t.’ And I tend to think we learned last year, and we’ll learn this year.”

Meanwhile, South Carolina's success comes in the wake of losing all five starters from the previous season's Final Four team. Staley's ability to galvanize the Gamecocks into a cohesive and formidable unit has been a testament to her coaching.

The match promises to be a defining moment for both teams. LSU, despite their impressive win 16-game win streak after losing the season-opener to Colorado, faced relatively modest opposition.

The clash between these two titans will be their only regular-season matchup.