The Lady Tigers say they are not expecting another 53-point margin of victory against a Southeastern Conference foe. But after a dominating 84-31 win Sunday against Mississippi State, No. 9 LSU (13-3, 3-0) wants to carry over that momentum to Thursday night’s game at No. 25 Auburn. “If you play a great game like we did on Sunday, it’s hard to realize all games are not going to be like that,” said LSU coach Van Chancellor. “But this is a veteran team. They’ve been in every situation. They know.” Senior guard Quianna Chaney, who scored 16 points during Sunday’s win, said the Lady Tigers must not go into the game with an overconfident attitude. “[Sunday’s victory] is an advantage because we still have the hype, but it’s a disadvantage because you can’t be too hyped going out there, or they’ll take advantage of the situation,” Chaney said. LSU senior center Sylvia Fowles, who averages 62.5 percent field-goal shooting against SEC opponents, leads LSU in scoring (16.6 points per game) and rebounding (9.4 rebounds per game). Fowles said she took away an important lesson from Sunday’s game. “It was all about our mental focus,” she said. “We had the ability to stay ahead and not lose our focus like we normally do. ” Auburn (13-5, 1-2) has lost four of its past five games but secured a 82-52 home upset Jan. 13 against then-No. 10 Georgia. LSU has won the past four games against Auburn, although Auburn leads the all-time series 26-13. Junior guard DeWanna Bonner leads Auburn in scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.1 points and 10 rebounds per game. But Bonner has not played well against LSU during the past two seasons. Bonner last faced LSU on Jan. 28, 2007, when she was held to six points. In a Jan. 4, 2006, game against the Lady Tigers, she scored just four points. Chancellor said he is impressed with Bonner’s ball-handling skills coupled with her powerful 6-foot-4-inch frame. “Bonner is a great matchup problem for us,” Chancellor said. “She’s a player that plays two positions. This is truly an outstanding player. This is going to be an impact player in the WNBA one day.” Senior guard RaShonta LeBlanc said LSU’s defensive effort is essential for a victory. The Lady Tigers rank No. 2 nationally in scoring defense, yielding just 48 points per game. “Bonner is going to get her points regardless. She’s a great player,” LeBlanc said. “We just have to stop the other players from hurting us.” LSU’s coaching staff wants to see more from one of the few youngsters on the Lady Tigers’ squad. Chancellor said he is impressed sophomore guard Allison Hightower averages 58 percent field-goal shooting against SEC opponents. In Tuesday’s practice, coaches were vocal in their attempts to make Hightower shoot when she is open. “The coaches are always telling me to look for my shot,” Hightower said. “If I don’t [against Auburn], I’m going to be on the bench.” After tonight’s game, the Lady Tigers continue on the road Sunday against Kentucky in Rupp Arena. Kentucky (9-9, 3-1) has won four of its past five games and will take on South Carolina on Thursday night.
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