The atmosphere was electric during the No. 6 seed LSU women’s basketball team’s NCAA tournament second-round game against No. 3 Louisville on Tuesday night.But missing too many free throws and losing the rebounding battle hurt LSU down the stretch as the Lady Tigers’ season ended with a 62-52 loss to the Cardinals.”They made free throws, and we didn’t,” said LSU coach Van Chancellor. “They had 12 second-chance points, and I thought we had to limit them to six. We’ve been a hot and cold free throw shooting team. When we make them, we continue to make them, and when we miss them, we continue to miss them.”The Lady Tigers were outrebounded by 14, 39-25, during the game, and they shot just 5-of-12 from the free throw line in the second half.LSU senior forward Kristen Morris said giving Louisville too many offensive rebounds and easy points was a clinching factor in the loss.”We lost the game at the line and on the boards,” Morris said. “We didn’t turn the ball over a lot, but not winning the rebound battle was what lost it for us.”LSU was fired up early against the Cardinals, and there were six ties and three lead changes in the first half. LSU never led by more than five points, and Louisville was never ahead by more than four points en route to a 33-29 Louisville halftime lead.The Lady Tigers committed only seven turnovers throughout the game and forced 13 Cardinal turnovers.”We were really concerned about Louisville’s press,” Chancellor said. “We got them to quit pressing, and they didn’t get many points off turnovers.”Louisville coach Jeff Walz said LSU was definitely one of the best teams the Cardinals have faced all season.”It was an absolute battle,” Walz said. “It was a great environment. [Chancellor] did an outstanding job preparing for our press. They were by far the team that’s been best prepared to play us.”In the second half, Louisville built a six point lead, 39-33, but LSU answered with a 7-0 run and Hightower’s 20th points of the night on a one-handed shot to go back up by 1 with about 12 minutes left.”I wasn’t trying to take over or anything like that, just stay aggressive and if the shot was there, I was going to take it,” Hightower said. “[Louisville] did a pretty good job on the box-and-one.”LSU would lead once more, 42-41, after a layup by freshman forward LaSondra Barrett, who finished with 7 points.The Lady Tigers fell behind by nine points with 2:55 left. The closest LSU would get was seven points in the last two minutes, but two free throws by Louisville freshman guard Becky Burke and a jumper by Louisville senior forward Angel McCoughtry put the game away.McCoughtry, projected by many to be the first pick in April’s WNBA draft, finished the night with a game-high 28 points.Questionable officiating fired up both teams throughout the game. Both had four fouls just four minutes into the game and finished the half with 10 apiece.Chancellor said now that the Lady Tigers’ season is over, he will relish in what they have accomplished with so many new faces.”This team had five times it could have given in, but they did a remarkable job of keeping confidence up,” he said. “When I look at what these kids have done, it’s been unbelievable. We played three freshmen who have never been under this kind of pressure, and Kristen Morris has been the glue that held this team together.”Now that her season is over, Morris said she sees a very bright future for the Lady Tigers.”I am sad, but I want to make sure my teammates remember to work hard,” Morris said. “The next season starts right now, and they have a chance to be really good next year. I am very thankful for the opportunity I had to play here.”——Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]