NEW ORLEANS — A 15-0 run that spanned both halves was the difference for LSU, as the Lady Tigers basketball team rolled into the NCAA New Orleans Regional Final with a 67-52 victory over No. 3-seed Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon at the New Orleans Arena.
No. 2-seeded LSU (30-5) landed in its sixth-straight “Elite 8” game and will face top-seeded North Carolina on Monday at 6:30 p.m. CDT on ESPN. The Lady Tigers have advanced to the NCAA Women’s Final Four each year since 2004.
First-year LSU head coach Van Chancellor advanced to his fifth regional final, most recently taking Ole Miss to the Elite 8 in 1992.
The “Drive for Five” won’t be easy, as the Tar Heels overcame an 18-point deficit to defeat No. 4-seed Louisville in the first game of the day, 78-74.
Oklahoma State (27-8) watched its season end with a painful shooting afternoon against the nation’s best defense. The Cowgirls were 19-of-69 shooting (27.5 percent), and shot under 20 percent until the final eight minutes.
Erica White and Sylvia Fowles overcame a slow offensive start to drive the Lady Tigers to their second matchup against North Carolina in school history.
White scored a team-high 18 points on 5-of-11 shooting with seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. She also guarded OSU star Andrea Riley for a majority of the contest.
LSU guard RaShonta LeBlanc had 13 points including three three-pointers, while guard Quianna Chaney added 10 points and four assists. Forward Ashley Thomas grabbed a team-best 12 rebounds.
Fowles made 5-of-6 shots from the field after a cold start to finish with 12 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots. She began the game 0-for-5 with five turnovers.
The Lady Tigers were 25-of-60 shooting (41.7 percent) including 14-of-26 in the second half.
As expected, Riley led Oklahoma State with 26 points on 9-of-28 shooting. She made 6-of-15 from beyond the arc and added five rebounds, five steals and four assists before fouling out with 2:22 to play.
Riley was her team’s only scoring option for most of the game, as her teammates’ combined 0-of-26 shooting performance in the first 26 minutes was more than the sophomore guard could handle.
Oklahoma State forward Shaunte’ Smith scored eight points on 3-of-10 shooting but grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds. She also committed seven of OSU’s 19 turnovers.
The term “cold shooting” barely captures the opening 20 minutes, as the teams were unable to find the bottom of the bucket.
Fowles missed her first five shots and had five turnovers late in the half. Then, the tides turned when Fowles was called for an offensive foul after being pushed and shoved for most of the game.
The SEC Player of the Year came alive, scoring seven points in LSU’s 11-0 run to end the half, bringing the “home” crowd to its feet and put the Lady Tigers ahead by 13.
After starting 7-of-28 from the field (25 percent), LSU found itself ahead 18-16 with 3:40 remaining in the first half. Outside of Riley, Oklahoma State did itself no favors trying to keep up with the Lady Tigers.
The rest of the Cowgirls were 0-of-20 in the half. Riley was 5-of-13 with three three-pointers.
LSU led 29-16 at the break.
The rim remained the size of a thimble to both teams early in the second half, as only three fast-break layups and a layup by Fowles were scored in the first six minutes.
With LSU leading 39-25, for some that thimble expanded to a silo for both teams.
In five minutes of play, the teams combined for 27 points. However, LSU’s lead remained at 12, 49-37, with 6:51 to play.
Cordero cut the lead to 10, 49-39, however, the Lady Tigers answered with a 10-1 run that gave LSU its largest lead and put the game out of reach in the final four minutes.
NCAA TOURNAMENT REGIONAL SEMIFINAL POSTGAME NOTES
LSU vs. Oklahoma State
March 29, 2008 ? New Orleans, La.
Team
– LSU advances to the eighth “Elite 8” in the program’s history and the sixth straight.
– The Lady Tigers are now 8-4 in the regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.
– LSU improved to 5-2 as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
– LSU is now 35-17 in NCAA Tournament history.
– The Lady Tigers have now recorded 30 wins for the sixth time in the program’s history and for the fourth straight season.
Individual
– Sylvia Fowles moved into second-place for career post-season games in LSU history. Today’s game was Fowles 18th.
– RaShonta LeBlanc moved into a third-place tie for career post-season games in LSU history, playing in her 17th game today.
– Erica White and Quianna Chaney both moved into a fifth-place tie for career post-season games in LSU history. They played in their 16th game today.
– Quianna Chaney’s first 3-pointer of the game (with 4:35 left in the first half) was the 200th of her career, making her the second player in LSU history to make at least 200 3-pointers in a career.
– Quianna Chaney moved into second-place all alone in 3-pointers made in a single-season with her two today. She now has 89 3-pointers this season.
– Erica White scored in double figures for the ninth game this season and the 28th game of her career with 18 points today. She has also now scored in double figures in six NCAA Tournament games.
– RaShonta LeBlanc scored in double figures for the seventh game this season and the 15th game of her career with 13 points today. She has also now scored in double figures in two NCAA Tournament games.
– Sylvia Fowles scored in double figures for the 32nd game of the season and the 122nd game of her career with 12 points in today’s game. Fowles has now scored in double figures in 13 of her 17 NCAA Tournament games.
– Sylvia Fowles recorded her 22nd double double of the season, 84th of her career and the eighth in a NCAA Tournament game with 12 points and 11 rebounds today.
– Quianna Chaney scored in double figures for the 29th game this season and the 68th game of her career with 10 points today. She has also now scored in double figures in seven NCAA Tournament games.
– Ashley Thomas pulled down 11 rebounds today, the fourth double figure rebound game of her career and the second of the season.