CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Jenna Deemer paced a balanced attack with 15 points as the LSU women’s basketball team secured a convincing 82-61 victory over UNC Greensboro Sunday at the BankUnited Center to conclude the opening day of the Miami Holiday Tournament.
With the victory, LSU (6-5) advances to face tournament host Miami (9-3) in Monday’s championship game. The Hurricanes were an 83-47 winner over Florida A&M earlier today. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 2:30 p.m. CT.
“This team is learning to play in spurts, and we’re making runs at the right time,” head coach Nikki Caldwell said. “I feel like we’re moving in the right direction and putting together 40 quality minutes of basketball. I like our play especially in the second half with our ball movement. We were sharing the basketball, and we were looking for the player with the hot hand. Those are the little things we need to do along with making our layups and our free throws.”
Deemer pumped in 10 of her 15 points during the opening half and reached double figures in consecutive games for the first time in her career. The 15 points were one shy of a career-high as the New Orleans native was 6-of-10 from the floor highlighted by a trio of three-pointers.
Sheila Boykin nearly collected a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. Like Deemer, Boykin was one point away from matching a career-best and knocked down six of her seven field goal attempts.
Raigyne Moncrief registered 10 of her 11 points in the second half and hauled down a career-high tying 11 rebounds to notch her second career double-double. She also added five steals and three assists.
Rina Hill tacked on a season’s best 11 points aided by a flawless 9-for-9 effort at the free throw line. She also handed out three assists.
DaShawn Harden and Ann Jones tallied nine points apiece, while Jasmine Rhodes worked her way to a season-high six points to go along with three steals. Akilah Bethel chipped in eight rebounds couple with a career-high five assists against one turnover.
As a team, LSU was 30-of-69 shooting which included 21 field goals inside the paint en route to a 42-22 advantage in paint points. The Lady Tigers also racked up 23 of the contest’s 35 points off turnovers, came away with 29 of the game’s 39 second chance points and put together a healthy 48-24 edge in bench points.
LSU surged ahead to an 8-0 lead with 16:13 remaining capped by back-to-back Boykin jumpers 33 seconds apart. The Spartans (5-8) responded with 10 of the next 12 points to knot the score at 10-10 at the 13:09 mark.
The Lady Tigers wouldn’t relinquish the lead as Deemer rattled home a triple off a press breaker from the left wing to put LSU ahead, 13-10. Deemer bookended a 7-0 spurt for the Lady Tigers with a transition layup courtesy of a Bethel assist to make it 17-10 with 11:36 left.
Up 19-17 with 9:39 to go, LSU pieced together 16 of the next 20 points to grow its lead to a 14-point margin. Deemer and Hill would combine for nine points to vault the Lady Tigers to a 35-21 cushion at the 1:55 mark. LSU would take a 35-26 advantage into halftime.
LSU led by double digits for a majority of the second half. The Spartans got inside of 10 points on four occasions, the latest at 50-41 with 12:53 on the clock.
LSU put the game away with a 19-6 flurry over the next 5:45. The trio of Boykin, Harden and Moncrief amassed all 19 points for the Lady Tigers. Moncrief found her rhythm and attacked the basket for a quartet of layups. She also sank a midrange jumper which gave LSU a 69-47 lead at the 6:19 mark.
The Lady Tigers connected on 18 of their 30 attempts during the second half and closed out the 82-61 victory. LSU has won four of its five games in December, the four victories for the Lady Tigers have come by an average of 25.2 points per game.
LSU’s meeting with Miami will mark the second time the Lady Tigers take on a Power Five conference opponent this season. Tipoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT from the BankUnited Center.
“Miami is a very good basketball team with great guard play,” Caldwell said. “They’re able to not only knock down shots, but they can play off the bounce. It will be a great challenge for our team. We’re going to have to mix up defenses. More importantly with three-point shooters, you have to be aware. Strong side coverage and one-pass away defense, I’m going to keep harping on it with this team. You can’t be a spectator. You always have to alert and aware of where the shooters are.”
The LSU Sports Radio Network will broadcast Monday’s game on its flagship station Talk 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge. The broadcast featuring Patrick Wright, the voice of the Lady Tigers, also will be available for Geaux Zone subscribers at www.LSUsports.net/live.
Season tickets are on sale for $75 online at http://www.LSUtix.net/. The LSU Athletics Ticket Office can be reached at (800) 960-8587 or (225) 578-2184 and is located on the first floor of the Moran Family Center for Athletics Administration Building. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
For all of the latest news and information on Lady Tiger basketball, visit www.LSUsports.net/womensbasketball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/LSUwbkb, @lsuwbkb and @NikkiCaldwell on Twitter, @LSUwbkb and @LSUNikkiCaldwell on Instagram.