|
Home > SECWB News & More! > Our Staff & Contributors > LeAnne Harrington > Featured Columns > 2008 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament Day 3 Recap, Part 1
2008 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament Day 3 Recap, Part 1
by LeAnne Harrington, SECWB.com
Posted: March 9th, 2008 @ 2:00pm
Game 9: #1 seed LSU Tigers vs. #4 seed Kentucky Wildcats. The first time these two teams met in the regular season, LSU schooled the Wildcats, winning at Kentucky by a score of 72-46. But then a funny thing happened: Kentucky ventured down to the bayou and very nearly came away with a victory, eventually falling by a mere 4 points in a 52-48 loss just 2 weeks ago. So which Kentucky team showed up for this tournament semifinal matchup? According to LSU coach Van Chancellor, Kentucky played them almost identically to that tight LSU win in Baton Rouge, but the results were the same, with LSU outlasting the Cats 66-49.
The first half looked like it might turn into another blowout game for LSU, but Kentucky kept hanging around, keeping themselves positioned just within striking distance and trailing 37-26 after 20 minutes of play. At the half, Kentucky had taken more shots from the field than LSU (31 compared to 24) but had only connected on 29% of their attempts, compared to LSU’s 45.8% field goal percentage. Kentucky had also outrebounded the Tigers 20-19, and each team had tallied 6 turnovers. So what was the first half difference? An inability by Kentucky to finish plays and foul trouble inside. LSU took those 6 Kentucky turnovers and converted them into 10 points, compared to Kentucky’s 2 points off LSU turnovers. Couple that with each of Kentucky’s 3 inside players picking up 2 fouls apiece in the first half, and LSU converting 14 of 17 free throws, it’s easy to see why Kentucky trailed at the half.
Give Matthew Mitchell’s Kentucky team credit. LSU came out in the second period and stretched the lead to as many as 19 points but the Cats kept scratching and clawing, trying to make up the difference. But LSU had too many weapons for the Cats to overcome. Kentucky’s leading scorer, senior post Sarah Elliott, was hampered by foul trouble and limited to 20 minutes of action, but she still managed to score in double figures with 12 points, which moved her into 8th place on Kentucky’s all-time scoring list. Kentucky was led in scoring by senior guard Samantha Mahoney with 17 points. Kentucky’s appearance in this year’s semifinal marked the furthest advancement of any first-year head coach at Kentucky.
LSU had another solid all-around effort from their squad, and coach Chancellor was quick to offer praise to his senior trio of Sylvia Fowles, Quianna Chaney and Ashley Thomas. SEC Player of the Year Fowles tallied yet another double-double (20 points, 13 rebounds), the 18th of the season and the 81st of her career. Chaney tallied 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field for her fifth straight double-digit game, and forward Ashley Thomas nabbed the first double-double of her career, pulling down 11 boards to go with 11 points. SEC Coach of the Year Chancellor stated: “I thought she (Thomas) was the difference in the game tonight… they left her open and she made some shots, and then she rebounded the ball unbelievable. That’s the best she’s rebounded the ball since I’ve been in Baton Rouge.” Lofty praise indeed for a talented young woman who has struggled through knee injuries in both her freshman and junior seasons.
Up next for LSU: a championship final against the Tennessee Lady Vols.
|
|
|
|
