BATON ROUGE — Junior preseason All-Southeastern Conference guard Allison Hightower scored a career-high 20 points, but Florida State used a 5-0 run in the final two minutes to snap the LSU women’s basketball team’s winning streak, 61-57, on Sunday afternoon at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
The Lady Tigers (5-4) lost for the first time since Nov. 30 and dropped only its second game in the month of December since 2001. LSU, which had won four games in a row, entered Sunday with the nation’s top scoring defense and having allowed 41 points or less during the win streak.
The Seminoles (10-4) snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the first time in Baton Rouge. LSU had claimed the three previous meetings dating back to the 2003 season.
“Our team fought hard today,” LSU head coach Van Chancellor said. “We played as hard as we could. This (Florida State) is a team that returned a lot of starters. Looks like their experience at the end pulled it out for them. Florida State will be in the Sweet 16 when this is all over with. They did a great job today, but we also did a heck of a job especially after dropping down in the second half. We can’t seem to make a play down or up one with about a minute and a half to go.”
LSU played one of its best games of the year against a sure NCAA Tournament squad that returned four starters. The Lady Tigers took their first lead of the second half on a layup from LaSondra Barrett with 3:23 to go that put LSU up by one, 55-54.
Freshman Ayana Dunning, who finished with a career-high 11 points in 17 minutes, fouled out of the game on the next trip down the floor. Courtney Ward sank two free throws as Florida State regained a one-point advantage, but sophomore Katherine Graham fired up a jumper from the right wing to give LSU the lead again.
Following a timeout, FSU’s Mara Freshour made the shot of the game when she knocked down a baseline jumper with 0:44 remaining. Barrett then threw an errant pass on the ensuing possession and Ward made one of two free throws on the other end.
LSU was given an opportunity to tie or win the game in the final 0:17 with the score 59-57 in favor of the Seminoles. However, Hightower missed a running one-hander off the back iron and Barrett misfired on a putback attempt with 0:06 left. Jacinta Monroe finished off the contest with two free throws.
“Coach (Chancellor) drew up a play for me to take it one-on-one,” Hightower said. “I got a great look, but it just bounced off the back and didn’t go in. We also got an offensive board, but that didn’t go in either. Sometimes things just don’t go our way.”
Hightower was outstanding for 36 minutes as she finished a career-best 9-of-18 from the floor with four rebounds and three assists. The Arlington, Texas, native eclipsed the 20-point mark for the first time in her career and registered double-figures for the fourth straight game.
Hightower kept LSU within striking distance when she connected for eight straight points midway through the second half. The Lady Tigers saw one-point halftime deficit grow to seven points in the first two minutes of the period thanks to a pair of turnovers. LSU sliced into the lead and finally pulled to within a point on jumper by Graham with 4:38 to play.
LSU trailed at the half for the first time all season, 28-27. The Lady Tigers had held as big as a five-point advantage in the first half but saw it slip away when Florida State mounted an 8-2 run in the final 3:07 of the period.
The Seminoles shot 38.5 percent for the game and converted 14-of-22 free throw attempts to LSU’s 6-of-8. LSU finished 43.1 percent from the field and was narrowly defeated on the boards, 35-34. FSU came into the contest with a 13-plus rebounding margin and nearly out-rebounded top-ranked Connecticut in its previous game.
Ward led the Seminoles with 12 points and seven boards. Graham finished with a game-high eight rebounds for LSU while chipping in seven points, three assists, a block and a steal in 32 minutes.
LSU continues its tough non-conference slate at 1 p.m. CST on New Year’s Day against Nebraska, who was a 62-58 winner against 24th-ranked Arizona State on Sunday. The Lady Tigers then travel to face No. 1 Connecticut at 11 a.m. CST on Jan. 3. The contest will be televised to a national audience on CBS.
LSU HEAD COACH VAN CHANCELLOR
Opening statement…
“Our team fought hard today. With about 40 seconds to go, we were up one. Our kids fought hard tonight. We played as hard as we could. This is a team that returns a lot of starters. Looks like their experience at the end pulled it out for them.”
On team taking a step forward tonight…
“Florida State will be in the Sweet 16 when this is all over with. They’ll get beat or be in it at the end. They did a great job today, but we also did a heck of a job especially after dropping down in the second half. We can’t seem to make a play down or up one with about a minute and a half to go. That’s why we’re 5-4 instead of 7-2.”
LSU PLAYER QUOTES
On coming back in last seven minutes…
“I felt that we fought until the end. We just wanted it tonight. It’s kind of hard because we came up short. I thought that we did a good job of fighting back and coming back to take the lead.”
On what is keeping team from making next step…
“We’re still looking to put together a whole 40 minutes. We probably played well 35 minutes. When we came back out in the second half, we didn’t start off playing well again and that really gave Florida State some momentum. They started hanging their shots and got a big lead on us at that time. Coming back out in the second half, we should have jumped on them instead of them jumping on us.”
On last shot…
“Coach (Chancellor) drew up a play for me to take it one on one. I got a great look, but it just bounced off the back and didn’t go in. We also got an offensive board, but that didn’t go in either. Sometimes things just don’t go our way.”
On comfort with being go-to player…
“I’ve been comfortable. My teammates keep telling me to keep shooting. The first half I was a little off, but they told me to keep shooting. Keep driving. Keep getting to the red because they (Florida State) couldn’t stop that. That’s all I tried to do. My teammates got me open, and they also hit some good shots when they were double teaming me.”
On challenges to come with schedule…
“We like a challenge every day. We’re challenged in practice, so why not come out and prove it on the court. We do play some good teams. Nebraska is coming up. Connecticut and then our SEC play. These games are all just getting us ready for SEC play, and I think that’s exactly what we need.”
F/C Ayana Dunning
On moving forward after tough losses…
“I think we learn from our mistakes. It was a tough loss. We played hard and we came together as a team. If we play like that for 40 minutes, hopefully the outcome will be different in the next couple of games.”
On role on the team…
“I feel like I got my opportunity and I need to seize the moment. I think we’ve all come together as a team. We’re all learning our roles.”
FLORIDA STATE HEAD COACH SUE SEMRAU
On Florida State’s play down the stretch…
“It’s never easy to score points against an LSU defense. You could see that in the first half. They threw a triangle and two at us, and it was something we hadn’t seen yet, but I thought we adjusted extremely well. In the second half, we had just some good kids coming up with some big plays to get us a big win.”
On the play of Courtney Ward and Alysha Harvin…
“The thing about Courtney and Alysha that is so great is that they’re fearless. Those kids are going to come out and either make something good happen or make something bad happen. More and more, they’re getting comfortable, and fortunately, this year is has been on the good side. Courtney is shooting the ball great. From the three-point line, she’s shooting almost 50 percent.”
On continuing to build this season…
“It sure means a lot more when you beat a team from a power conference like the SEC. We had some travel problems getting back after Christmas, but we adapted very well, and we talked to them before the game that character is all about being able to adapt and staying with the core of who we are.”