OXFORD, Miss. – Sophomore guard Adrienne Webb scored a game-high 23 points highlighted by six three-pointers and the LSU women’s basketball team shot a season-best 57.7 percent from the floor to run away from Ole Miss, 76-38, on Sunday afternoon in Tad Smith Coliseum.
The win kept LSU in the thick of things in the Southeastern Conference standings. The Lady Tigers (16-9, 6-5 SEC) remained in sixth place but LSU can make up ground next week against two opponents ahead of the Lady Tigers in the standings, Auburn and Kentucky. LSU hosts Auburn at 7 p.m. CT Thursday in the Maravich Center.
Ole Miss (10-12, 3-7) was swept by LSU in the season series. The Rebels lost by 35 points, 78-43, in the first meeting in Baton Rouge and once again fell victim to the sharp shooting of the Lady Tigers.
For the fourth time this season and the second against Ole Miss, LSU buried a season-high 10 three-pointers en route to victory. LSU was an efficient 10-of-17 from 3-point range and finished the season series 20-of-40. For the year, the Lady Tigers have already drained the second-most threes in single-season school history with 145.
“We practiced better Friday than we have all year,” said LSU head coach Van Chancellor, who improved to 5-2 against his former team. “We had something to prove. We came in here and played hard, played with a purpose. We did a better job of going inside-out and executing our offense. When you do that you always have a chance to win. We brought in four subs and they were outstanding. I am very proud of this team. It was a 13-player win, every player contributed.”
Webb scored 20 of her 23 points in the first half, representing the first 20-point half by an LSU player this season. She finished 8-of-13 from the floor and a career-high-tying 6-of-9 from three-point land. Her six threes elevated her to seventh place in LSU single-season treys with 63.
For the first time all season, every Lady Tiger on the roster scored a point in a balanced attack. LaSondra Barrett, a native of Jackson, had nine points in her homecoming. Taylor Turnbow added eight points and freshman Jeanne Kenney fired in nine points with two threes. Point guards Latear Eason and Destini Hughes dished out five assists apiece.
“(LaSondra) Barrett made all of this possible,” said Chancellor. “They started doubling her and we had to kick it out. She did a great job recognizing that. It led to some great looks from the outside and we made the shots.”
Ole Miss held a slim 12-10 lead with 13:14 to go in the first half before LSU began an offensive explosion. Valencia McFarland netted a three but Webb answered with her third of the game to give the Lady Tigers a 19-17 advantage with 10:36 left. Webb’s shot ignited a 12-0 LSU run that crippled Ole Miss.
The Rebels went six minutes without a field goal, and LSU poured it on with layups by Courtney Jones on assists from Hughes and Webb buried another trey. Kenney got into the three-point act with one of her own from the left wing that increased the lead to 37-18 with 5:08 left in the half. Webb put the finishing touches on the half with a three that made it 42-20.
LSU did not let up in the second half, outscoring the Rebels 34-12 in the final stanza. Ole Miss recorded only four field goals in the second half and one in the first 10 minutes. During the dry spell, LSU outscored the Rebels 20-4 and Chancellor lifted his starters and key reserves.
Bianca Lutley got 15 minutes of action and scored five points. Senior forward Jasmine Nelson saw her first playing time of the season since undergoing knee surgery the week prior to the season-opener. Nelson put in three points and blocked a shot.
McFarland scored 16 points for Ole Miss, who finished 23.2 percent from the floor. LSU held its fourth straight opponent to 55 points or less, while Ole Miss’ 38 points were the fewest by an SEC opponent against LSU this season.
LSU also won its 14th straight game under Chancellor when holding an opponent under 50 points.