The rivalry between LSU and South Carolina just got personal. After the latest on-court battle, the most pointed comments came from the stands. Flau’jae Johnson’s mom added a new, and very public, layer to the competition.

When the No. 3 Gamecocks defeated the No. 6 Tigers 79–72, Dawn Staley and her staff wore white hoodies that read “Boo.” Later, they confirmed the message was a reference to 2024, when Staley was asked about LSU’s crowd not being friendly toward her. Still, it wasn’t the loss or the hoodies that grabbed headlines.

After the game, she said, “We have never beat South Carolina. Cool. But what is going on today? Flau’jae is beating South Carolina in real life. The whole goal is to go to the WNBA and get you a bag, right? Provide for your family, right? Flau’jae has already done that. She’s already done it. Flau’jae don’t even have to go to the league.”

In the recent matchup, Johnson tied South Carolina’s Tessa Johnson with 21 points to lead both teams. Flau’jae shot 9-of-18 from the field and 2-of-6 from the free-throw line.

Also, Johnson is shooting a career-best 43.9% from three-point range. Her defensive energy remains a major asset. That is why ESPN placed her at No. 5 in its latest WNBA mock draft projections.

And her impact goes beyond basketball. Off the court, she is a rising rap star signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. She even announced her LSU commitment through her song “All Falls Down.” She also completed a music video featuring Baton Rouge’s Lil Boosie.

She has built a strong NIL portfolio, too, including a major deal with Puma. And all those ventures have reportedly helped her reach an estimated net worth of $1.5 million.

Meanwhile, Dawn Staley Praised Flau'jae Johnson

South Carolina now holds a 9–12 record in Baton Rouge and has won 18 straight games overall, a streak that dates back to 2013. So Staley dominates the rivalry, as this was her sixth win over Mulkey.

Yet, Staley spoke positively about the match and even highlighted Johnson's performance.

“It was two of the best teams in our conference, in the country, just trying to get a win.... I thought LSU got multiple offensive rebounds at the end of the game that put them in a position to close the gap, to go ahead," said Staley.

"Then at the end, we got lucky. Flau’jae (Johnson) doesn’t miss free throws. And we actually got a bucket after that," added the South Carolina coach.

As of now, the South Carolina head coach has not responded to the comments. Yet, what's your take on the whole incident? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi