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Home > SECWB News & More! > SEC Teams > LSU > Lady Tigers Rally From 19 Down, Pummel No. 1 Tennessee
Lady Tigers Rally From 19 Down, Pummel No. 1 Tennessee
By LSUsports.net (02/14/2008)
Posted: February 18th, 2008 @ 2:59pm
Source: LSU Sports
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Down 21-2 eight minutes into the game, the seventh-ranked LSU women’s basketball outscored Tennessee, 76-41, the rest of the game to defeat the top-ranked Lady Vols, 78-62, on Thursday night in Thompson-Boling Arena.
The win increased LSU’s (21-3, 10-0 SEC) lead in the Southeastern Conference to 1.5 games over the Lady Vols (22-2, 8-1 SEC).
“This LSU showed a lot of character tonight,” LSU head coach Van Chancellor said. “To be able to come back like they did tonight show what this team is made of. I am so happy for this group of seniors.”
LSU’s senior class improved to 4-0 in Thompson-Boling Arena.
Tennessee jumped out to an early 19-point lead in the first eight minutes of the game that included 11 points by Candace Parker. The Lady Tigers used a 7-0 run to chip a little away, but the Lady Vols answered with a 6-0 run of their own to retake an 18-point lead.
It was at that point that LSU began its own 21-2 run that allowed the Lady Tigers to take a 30-29 lead with 1:36 remaining in the first half. LSU closed that run with a 13-0 run that included two three-pointers by Allison Hightower and one by Quianna Chaney.
Sylvia Fowles’ put back with 1:36 remaining gave LSU it’s only lead of the half.
UT closed the half by scoring the final three points to take a 33-30 lead into the locker room.
LSU then scored five of the first six points of the second half to retake the lead, 35-34. The game when back and forth for the next two minutes before LSU took the lead for good, 39-38, on a Hightower lay-up with 14:01 left in the game.
The Lady Tigers outscored Tennessee, 48-29, in the second half.
Fowles led six LSU players in double figures with 17 points and added 14 rebounds. Erica White scored 16 points, including 11 from the free throw line, Chaney had 14, RaShonta Leblanc added 11, while Hightower and Ashley Thomas each had 10 points.
Defense kept LSU in the game during the first half and helped extend the lead in the second half.
The Lady Tigers forced 11 turnovers in the first half and collected eight steals that led to 13 points. LSU forced 19 Lady Vols turnovers for the game and collected 15 steals. The Lady Tigers scored 25 points off turnovers.
Tennessee made five of the first seven shots of the game, but went cold the rest of the game, connecting on just 18 of 59 the rest of the way, including just 10-35 in the second half.
LSU shot 46.4 percent from the floor in the game, including 60.0 percent (15-25) in the second half.
Parker led Tennessee with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Nicky Anosike added 10 points and 12 rebounds.
LSU returns home to host Ole Miss on Sunday at 2 p.m. CST for the first of a four-game home stand in the Maravich Center.
GAME NOTES
- Sylvia Fowles became the fifth player in LSU history to reach 2,000 career points when she knocked down a free throw with 1:08 left to play in the game.
- Sylvia Fowles scored in double figures for the 20th game this season and the 111th game of her career with 17 points tonight.
- Fowles recorded her 13th double double of the season and the 75th of her career with 17 points and 14 rebounds tonight.
- Allison Hightower scored in double figures for the 11th game this season and the 16th game of her career with 10 points tonight.
- Quianna Chaney scored in double figures for the 21st game this season and the 60th game of her career with 14 points tonight.
- RaShonta LeBlanc scored in double figures for the sixth game this season and the 14th game of her career with 11 points tonight.
- Erica White scored in double figures for the fifth game this season and the 24th game of her career with 10 points tonight.
- Ashley Thomas scored in double figures for the fourth game this season and the 14th game of her career with 10 points tonight.
- LSU had six players score in double figures in a game for the first time in the program’s career.
- The Lady Tigers defeated No. 1 for the second time in 12 tries.
TENNESSEE vs. LSU
February 14, 2008
Post-game Quotes
LSU HEAD COACH VAN CHANCELLOR
(Opening remarks)
“Well when it was 21-2 I didn’t want to answer my cell phone. I thought it might be the athletic director telling me I no longer had a job. We were playing so bad at that time and they were playing so good. I’m really proud of our team tonight for just coming back. To come to Tennessee, a great program with a great coach and outstanding fans, to come back and win I’m really proud for our seniors. They played well. If I were in the press I would have asked for (senior guard) Erica White and (senior forward) Ashley Thomas. I thought they were the difference makers for us tonight. I thought Ashley rebounded better. I thought Erica beat the Tennessee press. I thought that those two made a difference.”
(On the timeouts after the early Tennessee run)
“In the first timeout I tried to be very encouraging. At the second timeout I challenged everything about their livelihood as a player. I wanted to try to shake them up. My thinking was: try to get a little bit back at a time. I thought that was the difference in the game, we were able to cut (the lead) and get back in the game in the first half.”
SENIOR CENTER SYLVIA FOWLES
(On Tennessee’s early run)
“Honestly, to tell you the truth, we actually kept our composure as a team. Nobody fussed with each other, nobody got on each other about anything. Before we stepped in the gym we knew that it was going to be somewhat difficult. We know that they were going to be hyped because they were on their home court and their fans keep them in it. I kept saying to myself, ‘we’re going to come back, just keep your composure and let the game come to you.’ In the second half, I think that’s what we did.”
SENIOR GUARD QUIANNA CHANEY
(On the team’s defense)
“Once we changed defense and were able to get in a flow and get our defense started, it was easy to communicate and pick up our man and maybe get a couple turnovers and score on the other end.”
SENIOR FORWARD ASHLEY THOMAS
(On defending Candace Parker)
“It’s pretty difficult because she’s so long. You just have to try to keep her off the block so she’s not so close to the basket.”
TENNESSEE HEAD COACH PAT SUMMITT
(Opening remarks)
“Obviously, I’m very, very disappointed in this team. Make note, LSU played a terrific game. They came after us. We did some good things early. Bench play was pretty much non-existent. We can’t expect Candace (Parker) to carry us every night. We got exactly what we deserved. We didn’t defend, and we didn’t make shots.”
(On what happened)
“I have no idea. I can’t figure this group out. We got a win over Rutgers. They went in understanding that we could win the league tonight if we took care of business. If both of us had losses, going head-to-head, we still would have been league champions. That didn’t seem to matter very much.”
(On starting strong)
“We started well against Rutgers, too. Maybe the players can tell you what happened. We can’t win relying on just a couple of players. Our offense affected our defense. I’m not happy about it. It is unacceptable.”
(On Tennessee’s weaknesses tonight)
“We had a couple of players taking shots and not making them. We were turning the ball over. It is hard to win when you do that against a team as strong as LSU. Take nothing away from them. There is no quit in their team.”
(On giving up large leads in the last two games)
“Looking back at Rutgers, they made their run, and we didn’t shoot the ball well in the second half. This team doesn’t get excited about remaining committed to playing 40 minutes. They pick and choose when they are going to play. This team reminds me of the team (1998-99) following the undefeated team (1997-98). They were a pain to coach. This team is not quite as hard to coach, but there is no great sense of urgency. They start great, get casual, and tonight they got beat.”
(On how opponents always key on Candace Parker)
“They were keying on Candace and trying to double her. Others have to make plays. There were lots of shots, but not lots of baskets. (Angie) Bjorklund has got to do something. Alberta (Auguste) was 1-of-7, and (Alex) Fuller was not playing her usual offensive game. There was not a lot of help.”
TENNESSEE SENIOR GUARD ALEXIS HORNBUCKLE
(On how Coach Summitt keeps talking about playing 40 minutes)
“It has sunk through for me, personally, but we didn’t put together 40 minutes tonight. We played 25 minutes.”
(On LSU’s performance)
“They did a great job of committing to their offense and getting the ball inside to Sylvia (Fowles). (Quianna) Chaney and (Allison) Hightower were knocking down the threes. We weren’t knocking down shots or getting to the boards. They are a very active team. They are quick and get in the passing lanes. We weren’t playing Tennessee basketball. In the second half, Coach told us to get the ball inside and get to the boards. Everything we weren’t doing, she told us to do.”
(On watching the 19-point lead evaporate)
“Honestly, I don’t know how to explain it. We were up 21-2, and I looked at the board, and it was 29-20. Shots weren’t falling and when they are not, we have to commit to defense. I can’t speak for my team, but I wasn’t complacent. I hope my team wasn’t either. I hope we can figure it out before it is too late.”
(On regrouping)
“We’ve got to regroup. Coach was upset and not happy. It is time for us to recover. We’ve got to have an open mind to criticism because it is going to come.”
TENNESSEE JUNIOR FORWARD CANDACE PARKER
(On letting the lead slip away)
“Obviously, it caught up with us tonight. We had been getting away with it. We lost a big lead at Stanford and several other games similar to this game. Against Rutgers, we were able to come back. We had turnovers, were missing shots and not putting it up. In the first 10 minutes, we were in lockdown. We didn’t let them score. They were putting up garbage. They played to our weaknesses, and after that 10 minutes, we let them score
(On what Tennessee can take away from this game)
“There are always positives that you can take away from any loss. I’d rather it have been a win. We need to get better on one-on-one defense. I thought our rebounding was good. We’ve got to work on keeping leads. We’ll address this at practice.”
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