BOULDER, Colo. — LSU’s second-ranked Lady Tigers basketball team used a solid defensive effort to defeat host Colorado, 75-44, to win the 18th annual Coors Classic on Saturday night in the Coors Event Center.
LSU (7-0) held Colorado (2-2) to just 24.0 percent shooting from the floor, forced 26 turnovers and collected 17 steals in the victory. The Lady Tigers also held the Buffaloes without a field goal for 17 straight minutes, including the first 12 minutes of the second half.
Seimone Augustus scored 15 points, all in the first half, dished out a career-high six assists and blocked three shots on her way to earning tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Sylvia Fowles joined Augustus on the all-tournament team, led the Lady Tigers with 16 points and eight rebounds.
All 15 players logged at least four minutes for LSU and 14 scored at least one point in the victory. Tillie Willis had eight points, while Wendlyn Jones and Quianna Chaney each added seven points.
Colorado did not have a player reach double figures in scoring and were led by Anna Nedovic with eight points.
LSU used an 18-3 run in the first half to pull away from CU and take a 34-19 lead at the break. The Lady Tigers then opened the second half 13-0 run to take a commanding 27-point lead. LSU’s largest lead of 35 came with just under eight minutes to play in the game.
“We were not quite satisfied with our game goals in the first half, but we came out in the second half and shot well and that is what we wanted to do,” LSU head coach Pokey Chatman said. “The defensive is what kept us in the game.”
The Lady Tigers outrebounded the Buffaloes 36-34 and connected on 55.7 percent of the shots for the game, including a 67.9 percent clip in the second half.
LSU will return home to host North Texas on Tuesday at 7 p.m. CST in the Pete Maravich Center.