While students were away from school, the LSU women’s basketball team continued its dominant streak, winning nine straight games and getting off to the best start in school history.
The Tigers won both games in the Womenscollegehoops.com Classic on Dec. 19 in the PMAC. After taking care of Ohio 85-57, LSU snuck past Louisville 65-46 in the championship game.
Freshman Seimone Augustus garnered the tournament MVP award, scoring a combined 28 points in both games. Augustus leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.8 points, and ranks eighth nationally in field goal percentage.
Detrina White, who had double-doubles in both games, and Aiysha Smith were named to the all-tournament team.
LSU took care of Southwest Texas two days later in Baton Rouge, handing the Bobcats a 91-40 defeat. The Tigers never trailed and shot 65 percent from the floor. Point guard Temeka Johnson led LSU with 15 points.
In their first big test of the season, LSU came from behind to beat No. 15 Texas 76-58 at home, avenging a two-point loss to the Longhorns a year ago. The Tigers trailed by nine early in the second half but went on a 15-1 run to take the lead for good. Smith scored 19 points, while White had 16 points and 13 rebounds.
Texas head coach Jody Conradt said her young, inexperienced team just lost patience when the Tigers went on their run.
“It’s really hard to identify why the wheels flew off at that point,” Conradt said. “Everybody sort of went off on their own agenda and started to do something to save the day.”
Jan. 2, the Tigers went on the road to face North Texas and came out of Denton, Texas, a 74-43 winner. Smith had 16 points, and back-up forward Wendlyn Jones added 15 points off the bench.
In the seventh Pack the PMAC and first-ever Lady Tigers’ game on CBS, the Tigers brought their A game to beat Penn State 80-63. The home crowd of 9,798 was the largest to ever witness a women’s college basketball game in Louisiana.
LSU head coach Sue Gunter was pleased with her team’s performance prior to conference play, but she stressed how important each SEC game will be to her team. She said the wins in previous games will not be as significant if the Tigers do not take care of business in the conference games.
“Everything that matters is yet to come,” Gunter said of the SEC schedule. “All of this is like the build-up to the real deal.”
Auburn and Ole Miss found out the Tigers were for real, each receiving their first conference loss to the Tigers. LSU beat Auburn 54-45 on the road and took care of the Rebels 71-54 at home.
Augustus led the Tigers in scoring in both games, dropping 19 points in her SEC debut at Auburn and scoring 20 against Ole Miss.
LSU routed Kentucky 82-39 to give Gunter her 400th win at LSU Thursday and the school its best start since it opened the 1996-97 season at 14-0. The 15-game winning streak ties a school record for consecutive wins.