South Carolina women’s basketball is preparing to face former star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley who transferred to LSU last April.
The No. 3 Gamecocks (24-2, 10-1 SEC) will play the No. 6 Tigers (22-3, 8-3) on Feb. 14 (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC) in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge.
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After LSU’s 77-44 win over Auburn, coach Kim Mulkey was asked about managing Fulwiley’s emotions this week, including the pressure that might come with facing her former team.
“I don’t know if I have to really do anything,” Mulkey said Feb. 8. “I think about when you’re a player you’re out there trying to do the best you can for the team you play for. I don’t look for it as extra pressure on (Fulwiley).”
While at South Carolina, Fulwiley played LSU three times, including twice her freshman season. In the SEC Tournament championship against the Tigers, Fulwiley scored 24 points and was later crowned tournament MVP as a freshman.
She scored eight points in the 66-56 win over LSU on Jan. 24, 2025, as a sophomore.
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“Internally a competitor wants to do really good against their former team, but in my talks with her she’s never said anything ugly about South Carolina,” Mulkey said. “She doesn’t have any bitterness. She’s answered y’all’s questions. She just wanted to go somewhere where she would have an opportunity to learn the point guard position. She liked our style of play.”
Raven Johnson has been Staley’s starting point guard the last three seasons and this year has mainly had sophomore Maddy McDaniel backing her up. Tessa Johnson and Ta’Niya Latson also have played point guard this season.
Fulwiley did play point at times for South Carolina as Staley often mixes in guards to run plays depending on the scout or defense, but Fulwiley spent the majority of the time on the wing.
Fulwiley could potentially play shooting guard or point guard in the WNBA.
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When answering previous questions about why she left, Fulwiley has said that playing point guard was part of it, but she has also frequently said she needed a fresh start and change of scenery.
She grew up in Columbia, roughly 15 minutes from Colonial Life Arena.
Fulwiley averaged 11.8 points as a freshman for South Carolina’s 2024 national champions. She averaged 11.7 points as a sophomore for South Carolina’s national runnerup team in 2025, both seasons she came off the bench.
She is averaging 13.4 points off the bench this season for LSU.
“I don’t think there was any animosity or hard feelings, if there is I don’t know about it so (Fulwiley) will be fine except internally she’s probably going to be a little bit excited, have butterflies but she’s really a valuable part of our team,” Mulkey said.
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Lulu Kesin covers South Carolina athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email her at LKesin@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X@Lulukesin and Bluesky@bylulukesin.bsky.social
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Kim Mulkey on South Carolina vs LSU, MiLaysia Fulwiley transfer
