The No. 15 LSU women’s basketball team extended its winning streak against in-state rival Louisiana Tech to nine Saturday, defeating the Lady Techsters 81-69.
A scuffle in the second half resulted in the ejection of LSU junior guard DaShawn Harden, sophomore guard Danielle Ballard and Louisiana Tech junior forward TyJae Chenevert.
“I was proud of our team for staying together,” LSU coach Nikki Caldwell said in a news release. “Our bench gave us a tremendous spark. We stayed poised when adversity hit. Our team will grow from this type of game. Louisiana Tech fought hard.”
The altercation began when Chenevert fouled Harden, who was gathering an offensive rebound with 13:00 remaining in the second half.
There was no lack of physicality in the contest, and the teams committed a combined 65 fouls.
“Just basketball, just both teams wanted to win,” Louisiana Tech coach Teresa Weatherspoon told the Monroe News Star. “It was a scuffle, that’s it.”
Louisiana Tech (0-3) struggled shooting the ball, starting 5-of-25 from the field and finishing the game shooting 30.8 percent from the field.
“Make some of those, and we have a great chance at winning,” Weatherspoon said. “Unfortunately, those shots didn’t fall.”
Senior guard Jeanne Kenney contributed heavily to LSU’s 42-30 halftime lead, scoring 12 points in the first half with two 3-pointers. Kenney finished the game with 13 points and five assists.
The Lady Tigers took advantage of Louisiana Tech’s poor shooting performance, dominating the Lady Techsters despite taking 11 fewer shots and grabbing 10 fewer rebounds.
LSU freshman guard Raigyne Moncrief finished the game with a career-high 17 points after carrying the Lady Tigers with a 13-point second half.
LSU senior forward Theresa Plaisance added eight points, while Kenney and senior center Shanece McKinney each grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.
Louisiana Tech junior forward Whitney Frazier kept the Lady Techsters in the game, shooting 8-for-13 and tallying a game-high 24 points.
The Lady Tigers will spend their Thanksgiving holiday in Brooklyn, N.Y., as they take on Rutgers on Friday in the first game of the Barclays Invitational in Barclays Arena.