LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — SEC Freshman of the Year Seimone Augustus scored a team-high 22 points including 15 in the second half, as the No. 5 LSU women’s basketball team battled past a raucous crowd and the Arkansas Lady’Backs, 78-72, at ALLTEL Arena on Friday afternoon to advance to the semifinal of the 2003 SEC Tournament.
The Lady Tigers (25-3) staved off a 33-point effort from Arkansas junior Shameka Christon to advance to face No. 6 seed Vanderbilt (21-8) on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Vanderbilt came from behind the beat No. 3-seeded Georgia, 74-70, in the final game of the second round on Friday night. The crowd of 8,604 in Friday’s afternoon session was the seventh-largest in tournament history.
A key to the victory was LSU’s 25-of-31 effort from the free throw line. The Lady Tigers, who ranked second in the league at 73.9 percent during the regular season, were in the bonus for most of both halves and took advantage of their attacking offensive style.
Augustus finished 8-of-12 shooting and made all six of her free throws, while point guard Temeka Johnson paced the Lady Tigers with 15 points. Both Aiysha Smith and Doneeka Hodges scored 11 points, while Hodges led LSU with seven assists and seven rebounds.
The Lady Tigers finished at 50 percent from the field (25 of 50) for the first time since Feb. 9, a span of seven games. Arkansas was 29 of 64 for 45.3 percent.
Arkansas (21-10) came from 10 points down in the second half to take a 70-69 lead. However, the Lady’Backs lead only lasted 25 seconds as the Lady Tigers outscored Arkansas 9-2 in the final 3:27.
Christon, seemingly unconscious at times, made 15-of-23 shots including 10-of-13 in the second half (and eight straight at one time) to carry the Lady’Backs. Guard Dana Cherry added 16 points on 4-of-11 shooting while India Lewis scored 11 on 5-of-9 from the field.
Smith scored 10 of LSU’s first 16 points including a three-pointer from the top of the key and a conventional three-point play off an interior feed from Tardy.
LSU made 5-of-8 field goals in the first 10 minutes of the game and added seven-straight free throws to lead by as many as eight. However, Arkansas forced six Lady Tigers turnovers and hit 8-of-16 from the field to tie the game at 18-18 with 9:35 to play in the half.
The Lady Tigers responded with five straight including three free throws and a fast-break layup by Roneeka Hodges to lead 23-18. Behind the post play of 6-3 reserve forward Ruby Vaden, the Lady’Backs scrabbled back within two, 26-24, with just under five minutes on the first-half clock.
Once again, LSU answered with a driving layup by Augustus, who was fouled and completed the three-point play, before Doneeka Hodges connected on her first three-pointer from the left corner to put the Lady Tigers up 32-24 at the 3:24 mark.
After LSU took a its largest lead of the half, 35-26, Arkansas scored the final six points of the first 20 minutes to cut the halftime deficit to 37-32.
To open the second half, the Lady Tigers opened a 10-point lead, 42-32, only 52 seconds in, as Johnson converted a three-point play and Doneeka Hodges hit a 10 footer on the left baseline. The teams traded baskets until Cherry and Christon combined for five straight to bring the Lady’Backs within five, 46-41, with 15:40 remaining in the contest.
Once Arkansas sliced the lead to three, 48-45, LSU scored six straight including a pair of one-on-three jumpers in the lane by the SEC Freshman of the Year Augustus. The Lady Tigers re-built the lead to nine, 54-45, forcing Arkansas head coach Gary Blair to use his second timeout of the game.
With Smith on the bench with three fouls, Christon went after LSU’s post to score five straight points and keep the Lady’Backs within four, 54-50, at the 11:41 mark. Shortly after Smith returned, she picked up her fourth foul, as Christon continued to sizzle with a 24-foot three-pointer to bring Arkansas within one, 54-53.
Christon went to the bench to take a breather, allowing Cherry to take over offensively. Cherry scored five straight, but each time the Lady Tigers had an answer.
Arkansas tied the game for the first time, 60-60, with just more than eight minutes to play, however, Augustus answered with four straight.
Christon returned to the floor and didn’t miss a beat. The 6-1 Hot Springs, Ark., native scored six of Arkansas’ next eight points before Lewis gave the Lady’Backs their first lead, 70-69, with 3:27 to play.
LSU scored the next five points and led 74-70 on a three-pointer by Doneeka Hodges with 2:15 to play.
Christon was Arkansas’ answer again, hitting a baseline jumper to cut the lead in half with under a minute to play.
When Doneeka Hodges slipped to the ground, Lewis missed an open 17 footer off the back iron and fouled Johnson trying to chase down the rebound. Ironically, Johnson missed the ensuing front end of the one-and-one free throw and fouled Cherry chasing down the loose ball.
With 22.2 second remaining, Cherry missed the front end of her one-and-one and Arkansas was forced to foul Augustus.
Augustus, who led the SEC by making 40 of 43 from the line (93.0 percent) in regular-season conference games, made both to extend the lead to 76-72 with 19.4 seconds to play.
With Augustus guarding Cherry like a glove, Cherry drove the lane and missed a fall-away jumper from eight feet. Tardy was fouled by Christon on the rebound and made both free throws with 10.3 seconds remaining to lead by six, 78-72.
Arkansas turned the ball over without getting a shot off to end the game.
LSU returns to action on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. CST in the SEC Tournament semifinals. The Lady Tigers will face either No. 3 seed Georgia or No. 6 seed Vanderbilt.
2003 SEC Tournament
March 6-9, 2003
ALLTEL Arena
Little Rock, Ark.
First Round Results
No. 8 Auburn def. No. 9 Kentucky, 68-62
No. 5 South Carolina def. No. 12 Ole Miss, 79-64
No. 6 Vanderbilt def. No. 11 Florida, 74-58
No. 7 Arkansas def. No. 10 Alabama, 53-48
Second Round Results
No. 1 Tennessee def. No. 8 Auburn, 66-51
No. 2 LSU def. No. 7 Arkansas, 78-72
No. 4 Mississippi State def. No. 5 South Carolina, 79-75
No. 6 Vanderbilt def. No. 3 Georgia, 74-70
Semifinal Round Matchups
No. 1 Tennessee (27-3) vs. No. 4 Mississippi State, 6 p.m.
No. 2 LSU (25-3) vs. No. 6 Vanderbilt, 8:30 p.m.
Final Round
Semifinal Winner, 3 p.m.