Forward Aiysha Smith smiled and point guard Temeka Johnson clapped in the post-game press conference.
For once, No. 6 LSU was the victor over an undermanned No. 18 Vanderbilt team, 70-59, Sunday at the PMAC.
Before the win, LSU lost to the Commodores, the defending Southeastern Conference champions, six straight times, including three times last year.
“Actually it’s been a long time since LSU beat Vanderbilt,” Smith said. “So the win was real nice.”
Freshman Seimone Augustus led the way for the Lady Tigers, contributing 21 points, on 10-of-17 shooting. Johnson also poured in 11 for LSU (17-1, 5-1), who outscored Vanderbilt 42-26 in the second half due to its tight pressure defense.
“Seimone had a very good night shooting,” head coach Sue Gunter said. “I think in most instances we ask everybody to step up with DeTrina gone. In Seimone’s case, I think it was a big game and she was ready to go.”
LSU shot 46 percent for the game, compared to Vanderbilt 49 percent which included a 64 percent, first half performance.
Forward Jennifer Benningfield and center Chantelle Anderson scored 19 and 18 for the Commodores (12-6, 2-3) respectively. Forward Tia Battle also chipped in 13 for Vanderbilt, who led by as much as seven in the second half.     
It was Augustus, who dazzled the 5,455 people who attended the Super Bowl Sunday matinee, that caused Vanderbilt many problems. Often lined up parallel to the baseline on the left side of the basket, Augustus was a double threat.
She showed an ability to not only hit the jumper, but also blazed by Anderson, whose responsibility in the zone was to cut off the baseline.
“Seimone Augustus definitely makes a difference,” Anderson said. “Amazing; she’s going to be amazing. She had 21 playing as a freshman.”
Vanderbilt head coach Melanie Balcomb said the Commodores had no answer for the Capital High product.
“She can put it on the floor or spot up and hit,” Balcomb said. “So you can’t play her just as a driver or shooter. As a defense you want to take her strength away. Her strength is that one spot on the floor [along the baseline] and we never took it away. That’s our fault defensively.”
Johnson said LSU adjusted to the Vanderbilt zone by giving Augustus the ball and letting her take Anderson one-on-one.
“If Chantelle can’t guard her — Chantelle’s used to playing in the post,” Johnson said. “I have respect for her game and everything, but if you have a 6-foot-6 center outside on you, you can either pull up or drive and that’s what [Seimone] did.”
When asked if this was her best performance of the year, Augustus said the season opener against Arizona, in which she scored 27 points in her collegiate debut, was her best performance.
But Augustus said she used Vanderbilt’s zone to her advantage.
“I had to take advantage of Anderson coming out on the wing guarding me, so I had to be aggressive,” Augustus said.