Tigers upset Gators to remain on streak
By David Theard, Sportswriter
The LSU basketball team is making it hard for the pollsters to keep it out of the Top 25.
The Tigers (17-4, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) used a gutsy performance by senior forward Jaime Lloreda and came back from 10 points down with 10:43 remaining to defeat No. 22 Florida, 73-70, Saturday before 11,086 in attendance at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla.
LSU won its fifth straight game in the SEC and defeated the Gators (14-7, 5-5 SEC) for the first time on the road since the 1997-98 season. Previously unranked, the Tigers may jump into the Top 25 with their victory.
“Florida needed this game based on who they have left,” said LSU coach John Brady on the post-game radio show. “We took their best shot and we were able to win in a tough place.”
Early on, it looked as if LSU would have its way with the Gators.
LSU jumped out to a 25-16 lead with nine of those points coming off Darrel Mitchell 3-pointers. The Tigers were controlling the pace and Mitchell was hitting open jumpers against Florida’s zone.
But then Florida’s vaunted guards started hitting shots and in the blink of an eye the Gators were ahead 33-29. At the half, Florida led 33-32, and the momentum was squarely in their corner.
The second half started much like the first, and the Gators used a 7-0 run to jump out to a quick 40-32 lead. The lead remained the same at 49-41 with 11:51 remaining, and sophomore guard Matt Walsh was doing the most damage for Florida.
Walsh scored 13 points during that time, including three trifectas.
Brady said even though the shots were not falling early in the second half while Florida’s were, they were open and came out of the flow of the offense.
“We were executing well when they had the lead,” Brady said. “They were just making good shots.”
However, that tune changed in the last 10 minutes of the game, as the Tigers caught on fire from the field while Florida was stifled by LSU’s defense.
With Florida leading 66-58 with 4:32 remaining, a light seemed to go off for LSU.
From that point on, LSU outscored the Gators 15-4 and took its first lead of the second half at the 1:32 mark with two Mitchell free throws. At that point, the Tigers led 68-66.
Florida forward Adrian Moss then made 1-of-2 free throws to close the margin to one before Lloreda scored a layup off one of two extremely important Tack Minor assists.
LSU then extended its lead to five points with less than 20 seconds remaining before Florida guard Anthony Roberson nailed a 3-pointer to close the margin to two points with four seconds remaining.
Lloreda then hit 1-of-2 free-throw attempts to extend the lead to three and Florida’s Christian Drejer missed a desperation three at the buzzer to give LSU the win.
Lloreda had 19 points and nine rebounds even though he was battling bursitis in his left foot and rolled up his right ankle twice during the game on drive-and-dish plays.
Mitchell added 18 points, including 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point line, and has hit 13 of his last 19 3-pointers.
Walsh led the Gators with 24 points, including 6-of-9 from three, and Roberson chipped in with 18 points on 8-of-17 shooting.
Lady Tigers post big win over UF
By Justin Robicheaux, Sportswriter
Temeka Johnson passed her way into the LSU record books Sunday in the No. 16 Lady Tigers’ 91-72 victory over No. 20 Florida at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville.
Johnson’s fourth assist with 6:50 remaining in the second half surpassed associate head coach Pokey Chatman for the Lady Tigers career assists record. Johnson finished the game with six assists and 17 points.
The 91 points scored by LSU marks the fifth time in the past six games that the Lady Tigers have scored more than 80 points in a game.
LSU associate coach Bob Starkey said in the post-game radio interview that the Lady Tigers’ effective shooting on the road was a key to Sunday’s win.
“More important than the total number of points we are scoring is how we are shooting,” Starkey said. “We shot the ball extremely well, and I thought our execution was good.”
The Lady Tigers (20-4, 8-2) shot 61 percent from the field, 38-of-62, while holding the Lady Gators (16-7, 6-4) to a dismal 35 percent from the floor (25-of-71).
LSU took a nine-point lead into the half on the sharp shooting of Doneeka Hodges, who had all 15 of her points in the opening half. The Lady Tigers’ nine-point advantage quickly turned it into a 17-point lead (56-39) five minutes into the second half.
A 13-5 Lady Gators run midway through the second half pulled Florida within nine, but LSU responded with a 14-5 run of its own to pull away for good en route to their 19-point victory.
The Lady Tigers had five players attain double-figure point totals for the second consecutive game with Seimone Augustus’ 26 points leading the team.
“[Augustus] put up 26 against a defense that I think whether they went zone or man, was designed to limit her touches and take her away, and she still was able to do that,” Starkey said.
Florida’s leading scorer Vanessa Hayden was held in check by the Lady Tigers and in particular sophomore center Treynell Clavelle, who had five points and three rebounds.
Starkey said Clavelle’s defensive performance off the bench on Hayden was the difference maker in the game.
“[Clavelle] absolutely turned the game around by the way she guarded Hayden,” Starkey said. “She not only banged with her, but she beat [Hayden] down the floor offensively a couple of times and she blocked her out. I really think that is where we started to get separation in the first half.”
Hayden finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds on 7-of-24 shooting from the field.