The LSU women’s basketball team will be in an unfamiliar place this March – at home.
The Lady Tigers missed the cut for the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 years, dating back to 1998.
“I really feel bad for our players to miss the NCAA tournament,” said LSU coach Van Chancellor. “That’s what you work for all year. They’ve worked awfully hard.”
Chancellor said LSU would decline an invitation to the WNIT if an offer was extended to attend.
“We’re just interested in the NCAA. Our goals are there, and that’s it,” Chancellor said. “We’re not going to the [WNIT].”
LSU finished the year with a 19-13 record and an 8-8 conference record.
Fifteen Southeastern Conference teams have posted exactly a .500 record in league since the conference expanded from a 12-game schedule in 1997, and 10 of those teams made the NCAA Tournament.
Only four SEC teams made the big dance this year – No. 1 seed Tennessee, No. 4 seed Kentucky, No. 6 seed Georgia and No. 10 seed Vanderbilt.
“I never dreamed that the SEC would only get four teams in,” Chancellor said. “I never envisioned we’d be faced with a day like today.”
Chancellor said the team was confident it was receiving a bid as the players watched the selection show announce the field of 64 on Monday night.
Junior forward LaSondra Barrett said she was in shock when LSU’s name wasn’t called.
“I’m just shocked and disappointed. I just knew we were going to get called,” Barrett said. “Right now it’s a lot of pain going on, but we will bounce back from this … but it’s motivation for the players coming back.”
The Lady Tigers graduate three seniors – guards Latear Eason and Katherine Graham and forward Jasmine Nelson – who leave the school with a record of 90-40.
“I enjoyed the four years here,” said Graham, fighting back tears. “I’m disappointed and hurt.”
 
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Contact Mark Clements at [email protected]