NEW ORLEANS — Sylvia Fowles and Erica White‘s performances led LSU’s 11th-ranked women’s basketball team to a 65-45 victory over New Orleans to complete the five-game road swing on Monday night in the Human Performance Center.
Fowles scored a game-high 17 points, including 14 in the first half, and grabbed 13 rebounds, while White poured in 15 points, dished out six assists and collected five steals in the victory for the Lady Tigers (9-1).
“It is one of things where we got out of the gate offensively and defensively with a rhythm and a flow,” LSU head coach Pokey Chatman said. “Both Sylvia and Erica established themselves early tonight.”
LSU scoring the first eight points of the game and New Orleans (4-2) would not get any closer. The Lady Tigers established a double digit lead and led 39-18 at the break with the best shooting performance of the season. LSU connected on 16-26 (61.5 percent) shots in the opening 20 minutes.
The Lady Tigers then scored the first five points of the second half to take a 26-point lead, the largest of the game with 18:06 left, but UNO would cut it to 16, 59-43, with 3:39 left, the closest margin of the second half.
“I give credit it UNO for changing things up and really attacking us offensively,” Chatman added. “But, some of that was just mental breakdown on our part. It is never about the score. It is really about what you are capable of doing and that is what is really disappointing.”
LSU committed 16 turnovers in the game with nine in the second half.
The Lady Tigers did shoot over 50.0 percent from the floor for the second straight game, hitting 27-53 shot for 50.9 percent, but connected on 40.7 percent (11-27) in the second half
Le’Della English led the Privateers with 17 points of 6-17 shooting, while Cookie Johnson added 10 points.
UNO shot 33.3 percent from the floor for the game, including 40.9 percent in the second half.
The Lady Tigers won the battle on the boards, 35-24.
LSU will return to Baton Rouge for the first time in eight days and return to the court on Saturday when they host Detroit at 2 p.m. CST.
GAME NOTES
– LSU’s 61.5 FG percentage in the first half was the best half of shooting for the Lady Tigers this season.
– Sylvia Fowles recorded the 39th double double of her career with 17 points and 13 rebounds.