HOUSTON — LSU’s 18th-ranked Lady Tigers basketball team had five players score at least six points and used solid defense to defeat Rice 73-51 at Autry Court on Saturday night.
“We needed a confidence booster tonight and we got one,” said LSU head coach Sue Gunter. “Our young post players played well and of course Seimone and Temeka really stepped up tonight.”
Seimone Augustus led LSU (2-2) with 21 points, including 14 in the first half, while Johnson added 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. LSU’s young trio of post players, Tillie Willis, Hanna Biernacka and Treynell Clavelle combined for 21 points and 10 rebounds, including getting a career-high nine points and five rebounds from sophomore Clavelle.
LSU broke the game by ending the first half on a 20-6 run and taking a 36-22 lead into the locker room. Rice (0-3) got at close as nine early in the second half before the Lady Tigers used a 13-2 run to pull away for good.
Anne Peck led Rice with 13 points, while Michelle Woods added 10.
LSU defense held the Lady Owls to 30.9 shooting from the floor for the game and forced 27 turnovers. The Lady Tigers also collected 18 steals and had four blocked shots.
The Lady Tigers host No. 15 Rutgers in the home opener on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.