NASHVILLE – Vanderbilt’s Stephanie Holzer scored a game-high 23 points and the Commodores overcame their lowest point total of the season to deal the LSU women’s basketball team a 55-50 loss on Thursday night in Memorial Gymnasium.
LSU fell to 15-9 overall and 5-5 in Southeastern Conference play. The Lady Tigers, who have not won at Vanderbilt since 2005, remained in sixth place in the league standings via losses also by Arkansas and Florida on Thursday night.
Vanderbilt (15-7, 6-3) extended its home court winning streak to 12 games and jumped into a tie for fourth place in the SEC as a result of Auburn’s loss to Kentucky. The Commodores, who averaged over 72 points per game, were held to a season-low 55 points. Their previous low was in a 68-56 loss at Tennessee. Vandy’s previous home low was 65 points.
LSU’s recent offensive woes continued as the Lady Tigers shot 36.2 percent for the game and managed only 1-of-15 from three-point range. Vandy held LSU’s leading scorer, Adrienne Webb, in check for only three points. LSU also dug itself an early hole and trailed 28-21 at the half.
“If we would have played as hard as we did in the second half in the first half, we probably win the basketball game,” said LSU head coach Van Chancellor. “We committed too many turnovers and did not come out with enough energy. We did a great job on them except for (Stephanie) Holzer. Give her a lot of credit. She hit some tough shots. We are struggling shooting and were only 1-of-15 from three-point range.”
Katherine Graham rallied LSU from a nine-point deficit as she finished with a team-high 17 points, her fourth consecutive double-figure scoring game. Graham was 8-of-13 from the floor with four assists and three steals.
Courtney Jones came off the bench for seven points and a career-best seven assists. LaSondra Barrett scored all 14 of her points in the second half after falling into early foul trouble in the first half.
After falling behind seven at the half, Vanderbilt claimed its largest lead of the game in the first minute of the second half on a jumper by Jence Rhoads that made it 32-23. However, LSU caught the Commodores off guard with full court pressure and tough defense on the inbounds that led to two quick turnovers.
Barrett had her first field goal of the game on a lay-up and she added a jumper that cut the deficit to 36-31 with 14:29 left. Graham then picked the pocket of Jasmine Lister and scored on a breakaway lay-up to pull LSU within three points. Vandy responded with four straight and the lead was seven points, 40-33.
The Lady Tigers answered the call and managed to tie the game with a 7-0 run inspired by the hustle play of Graham and Jones. Jones had a lay-up off of a turnover and then went hard to the basket and got fouled on the next possession. Her two free throws led to the game’s first tie since the 10:20 mark in the first half. It was 40-40 with 10:15 remaining in the game.
LSU then committed several crucial turnovers. Holzer’s turnaround bucket put Vandy back ahead at 47-41 and the Lady Tigers would go nearly six minutes without a field goal. Holzer added another jumper to lift the lead to 52-43 with 2:56 to go.
LSU stayed alive thanks to careless turnovers by Vanderbilt, who committed 22 on the night. Barrett made a long jump shot that pulled the Lady Tigers within 54-50 with 0:31 left, but it would be LSU’s final points of the game.
Vanderbilt finished at 53.3 percent shooting.
LSU hits the road again for a 1 p.m. CT tip on Sunday at Ole Miss. The game will be televised by the SEC Network (check your local listings).