MINNEAPOLIS — Four players scored in double figures to lead the top-ranked LSU Lady Tigers basketball team to a hard fought 75-67 victory over No. 13 Minnesota on Tuesday night in Williams Arena.
Seimone Augustus led LSU (9-0) with 22 points, while Temeka Johnson added 18 points, Sylvia Fowles had 15 off the bench and Scholanda Hoston chipped in with 11 points.
“We beat a very good basketball team today,” LSU head coach Pokey Chatman said. “Regardless of how we finished the game or how we opened the second half. I think Minnesota had a lot to do with that as well.”
Minnesota (8-2) led 12-8 early in the first half before LSU used a 13-2 run take the lead and pull away. The Lady Tigers took a 13-12 lead on a Hoston lay-up and then used the run to build a 21-14 margin. Minnesota would not get closer than five points the rest of the game and trailed 42-30 at the break.
The Golden Gophers did open the second half with a 12-5 run of their own to cut the lead back to five, but LSU used a 12-2 run to retake a double figure lead with just under 10 minutes to play.
After holding a 16-point lead, the largest of the game, with 1:51 left in the game, LSU held off a late Golden Gopher surge that cut the lead down to six with 17 seconds remaining.
“It is great for us to be able to take our team on the road in the month of December and come in from of 7,659 fans and perform the way we performed after a two week lay off with final exams,” Chatman added.
LSU had not played since a Nov. 30th victory at home over North Texas.
In addition to Johnson’s 18 points, the senior point guard, who started her 100th consecutive game Tuesday night, dished out 13 assists for her 15th career double-double. Fowles also collected a double-double with a team-high 11 rebounds, her fifth of the season.
Janel McCarville led Minnesota with a career-high 31 points and 13 rebounds, while Jamie Broback added 18 points.
LSU shot 63 percent from the floor in the first half and finished the game hitting 54.7 percent. Minnesota connected on 45.8 percent of its shots and outrebounded LSU 35-28.
The Lady Tigers will hit the road again this weekend to face Southwest Missouri State in Springfield, Mo., as part of the Triple Crown Classic at Noon on Saturday.