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Thursday, Jan. 6 8:00pm ET
Lady Vols steamroll No. 21 LSU | |||||
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BOX SCORE
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Tennessee's schedule looked like a killer -- four ranked teams in 10 days. The first three opponents offered little resistance, but the toughest test of all comes Saturday, when the Lady Volunteers face No. 1 Connecticut. LSU (No. 21 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) was the latest victim, losing 86-50 to No. 2 Tennessee and unable do little more Thursday night than slow the Vols down en route to the basket. "I think we have really learned to focus," Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said. Tennessee (11-1, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) used its size advantage under the basket and tough full-court defense to stymie the Lady Tigers. The Volunteers led by 10 at the half, then stretched it to 45-28 before LSU made its first field goal of the second half. "I really felt that when we improved our defensive play we'd see an increase in our margin of victory," Summit said. "I think we have played our best defense in the last two games." The Volunteers took away everything LSU hoped to do. LSU went 16-of-43 from the field, struggling inside against the bigger Tennessee lineup and coming up empty outside. LSU did not make a single 3-point basket, going 0-of-4 from long range. "I think tonight was more preparation for Connecticut. I was thinking about them the whole time," said Tennessee center Michelle Snow, who scored 22 points, going 10-for-12 from the field. "This is 2000 and we want to go to the Final Four," said Tamika Catchings, who had 10 points and 11 rebounds in the Volunteers' first victory in Baton Rouge since 1995. "We know we'll do it with good play." LSU (10-3, 1-1) had been shooting over 52 percent but was held to just 37 percent this time, including 29 percent in the second half, and was held to it's second-lowest scoring output of the season. "Too much Tennessee tonight," LSU coach Sue Gunter said. "I think the thing that disappointed me as much as anything else was our inability to keep our composure. That is the thing I don't expect from this team as far as breaking down and turning it over as many times as we did." Tennessee had 18 steals and took advantage of 25 turnovers by the Tigers. The Volunteers also outrebounded LSU 49-36. Tennessee scored over 100 points against the first two of its last three opponents, but was held below its average of 92 points a game. The loss was snapped a 16-game home winning streak for LSU and was its second straight loss. Kara Lawson scored 12 points for Tennessee and Kristen Clement had 11 points and nine assists. LSU was led by Marie Ferdinand with 16 and DeTrina White had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Katrina Hibbert, who averages 14 points a game, was held to six. | ALSO SEE Womens College Basketball Scoreboard
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