Women's Basketball Falls to No. 1 LSU, 79-45
Jan 2, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2005
BATON ROUGE, La. - Despite a 24-point, 14-rebound performance from senior forward Lakethia Hampton, the Tulane women's basketball team fell to top-ranked LSU, 79-45, Sunday afternoon at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge. The loss snaps a four game winning-streaks and puts the Green Wave at 8-5 on the season.
Hampton tallied 18 of her 24 points and six rebounds in the second half while the Lady Tigers held the rest of the Tulane offense to five points after the intermission.
With the score 28-17 in favor of LSU, the Lady Tigers (13-0) rattled off six straight before Alendra Brown scored a bucket in the lane. The teams traded baskets before LSU scored six unanswered to head to the locker room with a 42-22 halftime lead.
Center Sylvia Fowles kept the Tulane offense in check in the first half, as the 6-5 freshman blocked five shots while the defense held the Green Wave to a .333 shooting percentage.
"We came out aggressive in the second half, and did some very good things," Tulane head coach Lisa Stockton said. "We really played them even for a while. At eight or nine minutes we let some offensive rebounds go, and that really changed things."
Tulane pulled to within 19 early in the second behind jumpers from Henry and Courtney Simmons, but behind Seimone Augustus and Temeka Johnson, LSU built its lead back to 28 with just over 10 minutes left on the clock. The Green Wave could get no closer than 27 as the Lady Tigers held the Wave scoreless for the last three minutes of play.
Junior guard D'Aundra Henry chipped in 12 and Brown added eight points and four rebounds for the Wave. Jami Montagnino, a native of Baton Rouge, tied a career-high, dishing out five assists.
"I was really happy with both Lakethia (Hampton) and Alendra (Brown), they were both responsible for getting Fowles into trouble," Stockton added. "Alendra played tough and mature for a freshman."
Augustus scored 23 points to lead the way for LSU, while Johnson and Scholanda Hoston added 15 apiece. Fowles fouled out with 6:32 left in the second with seven points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots.
"They are a very good team," Stockton said. "This experience today will probably really help us later."
The Green Wave opens Conference USA play Friday, Jan. 7, against No. 22 Houston at Fogelman Arena. Opening tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. and tickets are available at the door or by calling 504-861-WAVE. For fans not able to attend the contest, the game will be broadcast live on the radio on the flagship station of Tulane women's basketball, WRBH 88.3 fm.
