EUGENE, Ore. — LSU’s ninth-ranked Lady Tigers basketball team takes to the court for a game that counts on Saturday to begin the 2003-04 season against Villanova at 6 p.m. CST in the opening game of the Women’s Sports Foundation Tip-off Classic hosted by the University of Oregon at McArthur Court.
The Lady Tigers, and Sue Gunter, who enters her 22nd season as head coach, won both of their exhibition game in deciding fashion during the preseason and sophomore Seimone Augustus led the way. The Baton Rouge native averaged 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while senior point guard Temeka Johnson averaged 11.5 points and 6.0 assists per outing in the preseason.
There will be no surprise in LSU’s first three starters when the Lady Tigers take the court on Saturday evening with Augustus, Johnson and senior Doneeka Hodges in the backcourt, but Scholanda Hoston, who returns to the team after missing last season, is expected to make her first start since Jan. 1, 2002 at forward and 6-3 junior Tillie Willis is expected to make her first start of her career at the other post.
Villanova enters the tournament having won their lone exhibition game, a 66-46 victory over the Turkish National Team on Nov. 8. The Wildcats open the season as the preseason pick to finish seventh in the BIG EAST.
Tournament host Oregon will play Valparaiso at 8:30 p.m. CST on Saturday and the winners of the two games will meet at 5 p.m. CST on Sunday in the championship game and the consolation game will preceded at 2:30 p.m. CST.
All the Lady Tigers games can be heard in the Baton Rouge area this season on WNXX 104.5 FM with veteran play-by-play broadcaster Patrick Wright, while select games can be heard around the state in Thibodaux on 640 AM, in Morgan City on 96.7 FM, in Houma on 1490 AM and in Alexandria on 970 AM. All games can also be listened to live on the internet at www.LSUsports.net.
PROBABLE STARTERS (Exhibition game stats)
Villanova
G 23 Courtney Mix 5-10 Sr. 8.0 ppg, 6.0 apg
G 42 Kelly Nash 5-10 Sr. 6.0 ppg, 3.0 apg
C 21 Jana Rediger 6-3 Jr. 6.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
F 14 Liad Suez 6-2 So. 11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
F 25 Jennifer Hilgenberg 5-10 Jr. 4.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg
LSU
G 2 Temeka Johnson 5-3 Sr. 11.5 ppg, 6.0 apg
G 45 Doneeka Hodges 5-9 Sr. 9.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg
G 33 Seimone Augustus 6-1 So. 20.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg
F 32 Scholanda Hoston 6-1 So. 11.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
F 52 Tillie Willis 6-3 Jr. 9.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg