PHILADELPHIA — Freshman Sylvia Fowles scored 17 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to lead the second-ranked LSU Lady Tigers’ basketball team to a 65-51 victory over Temple on Tuesday night in the Liacouras Center.
Seimone Augustus added 16 points to the victory, LSU’s fifth in as many games.
LSU used a 17-4 run late in the first quarter to pull away from Temple (1-1) and lead 32-19 at the break. Temple then used an 8-2 run to open the second half and eventually cut the lead to three before the Lady Tigers pulled away and ended the game with a 17-6 run, including holding the Owls scoreless for the final 2:39.
“The difference in the game was that we were able to maintain some things on the glass and get some offensive rebounds,” LSU head coach Pokey Chatman said. “We were lucky to come away with the win.”
LSU out rebounded Temple, 48-33 and grabbed 21 offensive rebounds. Fowles led the way with her career-high 16 boards, while Wendlyn Jones added eight and Scholanda Hoston and Augustus each had five.
Neither team shot well from the floor. LSU connected on 39.7 percent, while Temple hit 36.8 percent of its shots.
LSU’s free throw shooting made a difference in the victory, hitting 15 of 18 shots from the line, including a 7-8 performance from Fowles. Temple managed just six of 12 from the line.
Candice Dupree and Cynthia Jordan led Temple with 14 points. Dupree added nine rebounds in the losing effort.
The Lady Tigers will continue the road trip by traveling to Boulder, Colo., for the two-day Coors Classic hosted by the University of Colorado on Friday and Saturday. LSU opens the tournament with Maryland at 6 p.m. CST on Friday.