NEW ORLEANS – All season long, the talk around the LSU women’s basketball program focused on the Lady Tigers’ quest for a fifth straight Final Four appearance and first national championship. Part one of that task is completed. The drive for five was fulfilled Monday night when No. 2 seed LSU knocked off No. 1 seed North Carolina in the New Orleans Arena. LSU tied an NCAA record for most consecutive Final Four appearances with the 56-50 win. And in true Big Easy style, LSU’s crew of eight seniors celebrated the victory by dancing the Mardi Gras Mambo. Senior point guard Erica White dubbed the contest a “defensive slugfest.” LSU shattered North Carolina’s previous season-low score of 71. North Carolina ranks No. 1 in the nation in scoring, averaging 87.9 points per game. “We did it the old-fashioned way,” said LSU coach Van Chancellor. “We didn’t shoot it great … but we gave up 50 points to the best offensive team in the country. I’m not going to sleep a wink tonight. I’m going to enjoy this one.” Chancellor does not have much time to celebrate as LSU plays Sunday in Tampa, Fla., against the winner of the Oklahoma City Regional Final, between No. 1 seed Tennessee and No. 2 seed Texas A&M.
North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell said the low-scoring game was “ugly” and uncharacteristic of the Tar Heels’ playing style.
“[LSU’s] team score is 56 points, and it beats us?” Hatchell said. “That’s a nightmare.”
Senior center Sylvia Fowles led LSU with 21 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks. Fowles shot 10-of-18 from the field but only sank 1-of-7 free throws.
“We came out, we locked in and we were focused,” Fowles said. “We were ready for everything that they threw at us.”
Senior guard Quianna Chaney scored 13 points with three 3-pointers. Senior guard RaShonta LeBlanc sank a crucial 3-pointer at the 4:30 mark to disrupt a North Carolina spurt and extend LSU’s lead to seven points.
White scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds to finish as LSU’s second-best rebounder. With less than two minutes remaining, White shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line to end the Tar Heels’ comeback hopes.
“I was just thinking that I wanted the ball,” she said. “I knew I was going to knock it down from the free-throw line.”
North Carolina senior forward Erlana Larkins, who entered the game averaging 13.8 points per game, shot just 2-of-11 from the field and finished with five points.
“We played like – excuse my language – like shit on offense,” Larkins said. “We didn’t move the ball like we were supposed to. We stood still.”
The Wade Trophy finalist said the task of guarding Fowles was emotionally and physically draining.
“It was just really deflating to have them throw the ball, and it looks like it’s going to go out of bounds … and she’s still grabbing it,” Larkins said. “There was nothing I could do.”
—-Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]