The euphoria of seeing the women’s team just make the Final Four was over after they made it for the second time last season.
Now after two straight opening game exits from the Final Four, the LSU women’s team and fans alike aren’t just “happy to be here.”
It’s Seimone’s last season, and it’s time to win it all.
The Lady Tigers take on Duke in the national semifinal game Sunday and for them to advance to the first championship game in the program’s history, they will need to do certain things to beat the No. 1 Blue Devils:
 
1) ESTABLISH AUGUSTUS AND FOWLES EARLY
Like every team that plays the Lady Tigers, Duke will have a defensive strategy to slow down LSU stars Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles.
Augustus will likely get her shots, but it is important that she gets good looks at the basket, which comes from the team setting screens.
When Fowles’ shots start to fall, it creates a rush to the paint and leaves players open on the perimeter.
It is important to get these two going offensively early to get the team in a rhythm and avoid the dreaded first-half slump of the Lady Tigers’ 2006 tournament.
 
2) PREVENT TREND OF FIRST- HALF SLUMPS
In their first four tournament games, the Lady Tigers have made a habit of starting off slow.
LSU has not held a halftime lead in its past three games, with the exception of No. 16 seed Florida Atlantic, whom they also struggled with early.
If they get off to a slow start on Sunday, their second-half runs may not be enough to get them past the Blue Devils.
 
3) NEUTRALIZE DUKE’S MONIQUE CURRIE
Currie, an All-American and Duke’s leading scorer, has been pivotal in the Blue Devils’ run to the Final Four this season.
The senior is averaging 16.3 points per game this season and is the team’s leading offensive threat.
The Lady Tigers have gone through the season relying on their defensive play. If they can hold off Currie from having an offensive outburst like she did against Michigan State in the Sweet 16, it will go a long way in securing the teams first Final Four victory.
 
4) KEEP FOWLES OUT OF FOUL TROUBLE
ESPN analyst and former Tennessee guard Kara Lawson said the only doubt she had of LSU winning the championship was that Sylvia Fowles was foul-prone. The crowd that gathered with the women’s team for the tournament selection show shrugged her off as another hater.
As much as I hate to say it, she was right.
Although Fowles has not fouled out this season, she has spent her share of time in foul trouble, and LSU becomes a different team when she can’t play. She spent 18 minutes on the bench against FAU in the first round after two early fouls.
If Fowles misses 18 minutes against Duke, which features 6-foot-7-inch Allison Bales, 6-foot-5-inch Chante Black and 6-foot-3-inch Mistie Williams, don’t expect them to be as lucky this time around.
 
5) ROLE PLAYERS MUST HIT OPEN SHOTS
With Fowles and Augustus generating extra defensive attention, the rest of the Lady Tigers have seen their share of open shots.
Guard Erica White and forwards Ashley Thomas and Florence Williams have hit shots throughout the season, but they also have missed their share. With all the height Duke has to combat Fowles’ 6-foot-6-inch frame, those shots must fall and force the defenders away from the paint.
If they allow Fowles to be double- and triple-teamed by players equal her size, the Lady Tigers may be in for a third consecutive early exit in the Final Four.
 
Jeff is a print journalism junior.
Contact him at [email protected]