No. 8 LSU has dominated Southeastern Conference play since its 2002 season, winning 66 of its 78 conference games. The Lady Tigers (18-3, 7-0) will take on their polar opposite in the standings Thursday at 7 p.m. when LSU takes on last-place Alabama (8-14, 1-6) in Tuscaloosa. Alabama enters the game after losing six consecutive conference games and 63 of its past 78 SEC games. The Lady Tigers come in red hot, winning nine straight games, including an 85-71 win Sunday against Florida. LSU received a scare against the Gators when senior center Sylvia Fowles left the game in the second half after aggravating a right knee injury. Fowles missed two games in December following arthroscopic surgery on her knee. LSU coach Van Chancellor said despite the injury, the Lady Tigers’ All-American would have returned to the game against Florida if LSU’s lead had sunk to less than 10 points. Chancellor also said Fowles will be ready to play against the Crimson Tide. “That’s the first time it’s really been hit that hard,” Chancellor said. “Within five minutes, she was ready to go. By then we were up 20-something. I just couldn’t see taking a chance on that.” Senior guards Quianna Chaney and Erica White and sophomore guard Allison Hightower picked up the slack in Fowles’ absence, scoring a combined 49 points to lead LSU to its second 7-0 conference start in the past three seasons. Alabama enters Sunday’s game following a 76-47 loss Sunday against Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide have struggled primarily on offense, ranking last in the SEC and scoring just 55 points per game. Alabama is one of three SEC teams yet to score 70 points in a conference game. Freshman forward Tierney Jenkins leads the Crimson Tide in scoring – averaging 11 points per game. Alabama is the only SEC team to have only one player averaging double digits in scoring this season. Against LSU, the Crimson Tide will be facing the SEC’s best defensive team. Senior forward Ashley Thomas said LSU relishes creating problems for opponents on the offensive end of the floor, holding teams to 34 percent shooting. “We always look forward to making anybody struggle on offense,” Thomas said. Despite the discrepancy in the two teams’ records, Thomas said the Lady Tigers will not be looking ahead to Sunday’s matchup against No. 21 Georgia. “It’s never difficult [to be motivated] because in the SEC, if you don’t come to play, then you can get beat regardless of who you play,” she said. The Lady Tigers lead the overall series against Alabama, 27-16, with LSU winning the past eight matchups by an average of 28 points.
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