BATON ROUGE — LSU’s eighth-ranked women’s basketball team scored the first eight points of the second half to build a 19-point lead and never looked back, as the Lady Tigers defeated Arkansas, 70-53, on Thursday night in Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
LSU (19-2, 5-1 SEC) won its 41st-consective home game dating back to the 2003-04 season. Arkansas snapped a three-game win streak, falling to 18-4 overall, 3-3 in SEC play.
“It was a good win on several fronts,” LSU head coach Pokey Chatman said. “The defense was good, but what I really enjoyed today was the fact that we executed offensively. It was also nice that every group that went into the game executed.”
Sylvia Fowles posted her 49th career double double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, including 7-of-8 free throws.
Though Fowles showed her usual presence in the paint, it was forward Ashley Thomas‘s play that pulled the defense away from the 6-6 LSU All-American center. Thomas scored LSU’s first four points and matched a season high with 11.
LSU shooting guard Quianna Chaney led her team with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting. After shooting under 40 percent in the first half, the Lady Tigers made half their second-half field goals to finish at 26 of 59 (44.1 percent).
Meanwhile, Arkansas struggled to find an open shot against the smothering LSU defense. The Lady’Backs were 19-of-59 shooting for 32.2 percent.
Lauren Ervin led Arkansas with 16 points, while Donica Cosby came off the bench to score 15. Each had eight rebounds. Outside of these two, the Lady’Backs made only 9 of 33 field goals.
Arkansas had 19 turnovers that led to 17 LSU points.
LSU used an 8-0 run to open a 10-point lead in the first 10 minutes of the game, 16-6, as Fowles scored six and the Lady Tigers forced seven turnovers.
Though Fowles scored only one basket the rest of the half, the Lady’Backs weren’t able to get closer than six (22-16 with 5:28 left in the half).
Chaney carried the Lady Tigers offensively, scoring 10 on 5-of-8 shooting, while Ervin was also 5-of-8 from the field to lead the Lady’Backs with 12 points.
LSU led 32-21 at the break. Despite shooting only 39.4 percent (13 of 33) from the field, the Lady Tigers had 12 points off 11 Arkansas turnovers.
The Lady Tigers buckled down to start the second half, scoring the first eight points in only 74 seconds to lead 40-21 and force an Arkansas timeout.
Arkansas got no closer than 13, 42-29, but trailed by as many as 26, 63-37.
The Lady Tigers return to action on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT when Auburn comes to the Maravich Center.
GAME NOTES
– Quianna Chaney reached double figures in points for the 12th straight game with her 15 points tonight.
– Ashley Thomas tied her season-high with 11 points tonight.
– Sylvia Fowles recorded a double double for the eighth straight game with her 13 points and 13 rebounds tonight. She has collected 14 double doubles this season and 49 in her career.
– LSU extended its nation’s longest home court win streak to 41 straight games with tonight’s win. The win also extended the Lady Tigers’ SEC home court win streak to 19 straight games.
– The Lady Tigers have now defeated Arkansas nine straight times overall and 11 straight in the Maravich Center.
LSU Coach Pokey Chatman Quotes
Opening statement…
“It was a good win on several fronts. I think the best thing early on was that Ashley Thomas got off to a quick start. The defense was good. What I really enjoyed today was the fact that we executed offensively. There are several adjustments we have to make in terms of how we are running certain sets and where we wanted to attack, but it was nice that every group that went into the game executed. The last group I had on the floor were executing against Arkansas’ starting five and they ran offense to perfection and I thoroughly enjoyed that.”
On the start of the second half…
“I think that I made a statement in terms of an area that we struggle with, starting the half. We came out and we called an entry. We adjusted about three different options the last being Sylvia Fowles and Ashley Thomas was the second option. Thomas read the defense extremely well and got inside of her player and go to the basket. It is so nice when you force an opponent to call a timeout in the first three minutes of the second half.”
LSU Player Quotes
On the offense…
“I was just trying to do whatever I could to help my team. Earlier Arkansas was doubling up on Sylvia Fowles and I knew that they wouldn’t help out if I didn’t make some shots. I tried to make it a little easier on her.”
“It was real big for us to come out here and concentrate on the free throws tonight. She always fights and she knows she is going to get double teamed. She also knows she is bigger and stronger so she just has to fight.”
On her shooting…
“Ashley Thomas came out to knock down the first two shots so we have to guard her. Sylvia Fowles is a big post so they have to double her and that leaves me open on the outside for the drive. I credit all my points to them.”
ARKANSAS HEAD COACH SUSIE GARDNER QUOTES
Opening statement…
“LSU is very athletic and we didn’t push the ball like we typically do. We weren’t getting the ball in position to where we can get out and run. Most of the time Brittney Vaughn is able to dribble, drive and shake people, but LSU was very prepared and took one of our strengths (running the fast break) away that is one of the things that kept us to only 53 points. They just did a good job in their transition defense.”
On Lauren Ervin’s defense against Sylvia Fowles…
“Lauren did an exceptional job. I was very interested to see how that match up would go. Certainly Lauren did not guard her by herself. No one in the country can guard Sylvia one on one. I thought we did a good job with our double-team defense against her. I felt in the first half we let LSU have too much guard penetration, especially with (Allison) Hightower and (Quianna) Chaney. My assistant coach told me at halftime that all of their points were in the paint in the first half. It wasn’t just the post players, but also their guards penetrating. When you play LSU you are always taking a chance because you first try and take Sylvia out of her game, not that we did that but when you focus all your attention on Sylvia you have to hope that the other players aren’t having their best night. I thought we did a good job on Sylvia but their guards played extremely well.”