In the heated rivalry between LSU and South Carolina, ESPN just threw more fuel on the fire with a Valentine’s Day promo that’s as clever as it is controversial. It ought to be a trial by fire for both teams and is an opportunity to surge in SEC dominance. Ahead of this anticipated matchup, ESPN has released a special promo featuring notable players from both teams, including MiLaysia Fulwiley, Joyce Edwards, and others, with a bit of a Valentine’s Day twist to capture fans’ attention.

An X user with the handle @dannysora_ quickly reacted to the theme used in the video to put the Valentine’s Day matchup in the spotlight. “that lsu sc ad was hilarious😭,” the post’s caption read.

This isn’t the first time, though, that ESPN has used its creative expertise to delve into fans’ interest in a special event or match. It has used similar expertise to highlight the Greenville Reedy River rivalry. However, the enormity of the game at the Pete Maravich is making the promo even more attractive and eye-catching.

Moreover, LSU guard Fulwiley’s faceoff against her former team is another reason for the buzz around this game, and the promo highlighted it perfectly, along with the two aggressive coaches of either team, Kim Mulkey and Dawn Staley. Both teams are in the top five of the SEC conference, Staley’s side leading at the No.1 spot and the Tigers trailing at No.5, suggesting a thrilling back-and-forth game on Valentine’s Day.

And with a specially crafted promo, ESPN has just doubled down on this excitement for a new chapter of SEC rivalry. The fans didn’t shy away from showcasing their thoughts on ESPN’s promo, chiming in with their sarcastic yet subtle takes on the promo via X.

MiLaysia Fulwiley’s Two-Jersey ESPN Promo Has Fans in a Frenzy

“Special guest is crazy💀,” a fan wrote. “putting milaysia twice in different uniforms is sooo messy,” commented another.

There’s no doubt that the Gamecocks-Tigers matchup fuels even more attention for MiLaysia Fulwiley. Under Kim Mulkey, she has flourished quite well in her transfer year, but her initial exposure to NCAA Women’s basketball came with South Carolina and Dawn Staley. Thereby, it will be an emotional matchup for her, and the ESPN promo has tapped into this emotion perfectly, with the “special guest” tag and showcasing her twice in the promo, both in LSU and South Carolina jerseys.

“That Valentine’s Day commercial for the SC/LSU game>>>>>>>> love it,” stated another. While another commented, “Who made this lol.”

As ESPN might have wanted, the “College GameDay” promo perfectly appealed to the fans. Both ESPN and ABC, which share the same parent company, will provide a live feed of the game. And they are promoting the game with the same enthusiasm that it brings to SEC conference play. Notably, ABC is also set to broadcast the game in Saturday Primetime, a first for a women’s college basketball game, underscoring the significance of the matchup.

“the fight😭😭,” commented a netizen. “Thank you for posting this. Hilarious. They wrong for that special guest spot,” wrote another fan.

It’s quite clear from the X thread that Fulwiley’s unique presence in the promo caught the fans’ attention even more. And quite similarly, her performance could have a proportionate say on the flow of the game. The South Carolina transfer ranks second in her team in points this season, averaging 13.7 points per game. Moreover, her two-way expertise has led her team in steals (3.2 per game).

The numbers reflect her valiant contribution. However, the opposition on Saturday won’t make it easy for her. With the likes of Madina Okot, Joyce Edwards, and Raven Johnson, Dawn Staley won’t give much space to MiLaysia Fulwiley, and her reunion with her former teammates isn’t expected to be much heartwarming.

However, the wait isn’t much longer, and with a few days left, Valentine’s Day is set to be a bit more special for the basketball fans. Who are you rooting for in this anticipated game? Let us know in the comments.