Kim Mulkey Gets Clear on MiLaysia Fulwiley's Role in LSU-South Carolina Rivalry
The No. 3 South Carolina Gamecocks (24-2) head to Baton Rouge on Saturday to face the No. 6 ranked LSU Tigers (22-3). And a new layer to the SEC rivalry will be added this season after star guard MiLaysia Fulwiley became a member of Kim Mulkey's squad upon transferring from South Carolina last April.
While at South Carolina, Fulwiley competed against LSU three times. In the SEC championship game against the Tigers, she put up 24 points. But since joining LSU, she has had the opportunity to really grow at the point guard position, something that drew her to LSU. Fulwiley has seen an increase in her production as a result.
When asked about what she may need to do to help Fulwiley manage the pressure when competing against her former team for the first time, LSU coach Kim Mulkey didn't express any concern.
"I don't know that I have to really do anything. 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," she said.
Kim Mulkey previews Saturday's home game with South Carolina! #LSU @KimMulkey pic.twitter.com/UjZQ7TcNTx
— Mike Scarborough (@ScarboroughMike) February 8, 2026
MiLaysia Fulwiley's Transfer to LSU Has Paid Off
Adjusting to change hasn't seemed to phase Fulwiley's game in any way. She's seen an uptick in minutes played which has correlated with an increase in her point production per game. Last season with the Gamecocks, she averaged 11.7 points per game.
Fast forward to her first season in Mulkey's rotation and she's now averaging 13.4 points per game off of the bench. LSU has benefited from her impact in other aspects as well. Fulwiley is averaging 3.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, an increase from her averages of 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists last season as a member of South Carolina.
Despite all the talk that will surely center around Fulwiley given her transfer between rivals, Mulkey doesn't expect the matchup to be taken particularly personally.
"Internally a competitor wants to do really good against the former team, but in my talks with her she's never said anything ugly about South Carolina. She just wanted to go somewhere where she would have an opportunity to learn the point guard position. She liked our style of play," Mulkey added.
Fulwiley was seeking a fresh start with a new team and has embraced her role at LSU. She clearly hasn't allowed playing primarily off the bench deter her work ethic and focus on helping get LSU's premier program back to the top of the most competitive conference in women's basketball.
And now she has a chance to show off her growth against Dawn Staley and South Carolina.
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Lindsay Burke covers women’s basketball for Indiana Fever On SI and Women’s Fastbreak On SI. She graduated from Purdue University Fort Wayne with a Bachelor's Degree in journalism and a minor in media production. Early in her career she covered ECHL hockey, the NFL and college football and has since expanded her expertise to the WNBA and the Fever franchise.
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