Lady Tigers open SEC slate with road win

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COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Senior preseason All-American guard Allison Hightower scored a game-high 23 points and a 17-0 first-half run proved to the difference as the 11th-ranked LSU women’s basketball team won its Southeastern Conference opener over South Carolina by a score of 70-58 on Sunday evening at Colonial Life Arena.

LSU (12-1, 1-0) won its sixth straight SEC regular season game dating back to the Florida game last season. The Lady Tigers have won 13 of their 15 games and improved to 25-4 in SEC regular season contests under head coach Van Chancellor.

“I feel like a boxed eight rounds today against a heavyweight champion,” Chancellor said. “We played really well today. The first 16 minutes of the game was the best we’ve played all year. I’ve said it all year that South Carolina will be the most improved team in the league. When you open up SEC play on the road with a win, it’s always a great feeling.”

The Gamecocks (7-6, 0-1) dropped their 13th straight game to LSU and lost for the third time in four games. South Carolina still remains winless against the Lady Tigers this decade with its last win coming in the 1999 SEC Tournament.

Hightower reached double-figures for the 11th straight game and added four steals, four assists and four blocks while playing the entire game. Sophomore LaSondra Barrett erupted for 14 points and junior point guard Latear Eason tossed in a season-high 14 points, including a career-best three 3-pointers.

Read the entire article at LSUSports.net: http://bit.ly/4J93ew

Posted by Bill Martin