Three different Lady Tigers scored in double figures Sunday to help the LSU women’s basketball team recover from Thursday’s horrid offensive performance and defeat the Florida Gators, 82-68 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
The win put LSU (13-3, 2-1 Southeastern Conference)back in near the top of the SEC standings, and it snapped a nine game winning streak by Florida (13-4, 3-1 SEC) that dated back to November. LSU  coach Nikki Caldwell said the game was another example of how powerful the conference is.
“First off, the SEC is just a competitive conference to play in,” Caldwell said. “You have Florida, who has come in and has great wins, you’re very respectful of what they’re capable of. A lot of credit to Florida for not giving up.”
LSU got off to a fast start, using an 11-0 run to lead 14-2 through the first six minutes. The run included a scoring drought of over four minutes by the Gators, and the Lady Tigers never looked back from there.
A stingy defense kept Florida to only 22% shooting from the field in the first half, and LSU led at halftime, 40-25. The 15-point deficit was the largest halftime deficit Florida experienced since Dec. 28.
In the second half, The Gators were able to cut the lead to seven points with just over 8 minutes left in the game. But bench players such as junior guard DaShawn Harden, sophomore center Derreyal Youngblood and freshman guard Rina Hill got scores to put the game out of reach.
Sophomore guard Danielle Ballard led LSU with 14 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and two steals. The game was a major bounce back from Thursday, when she shot 1-7 for only five points and one assist.
Caldwell said after the loss to Texas A&M, it was Ballard who stepped up and became a leader for the team.
“I think she [Ballard] was two different players [on Thursday and Sunday],” Caldwell said. “Thursday night, I thought Ballard played as complacent as I’ve seen her play all year. Tonight, I thought she was aggressive, she had this ‘You can’t stop me mentality.”
The Lady Tigers will play again Thursday night as they travel to Colombia to play the Missouri Tigers. For Caldwell, a spirited effort like the one tonight will be needed the rest of the way.
“I think you have to play this way in the SEC, the team that comes out the more aggressive team, the team that plays with a lot of energy a lot of effort, the team that plays together …those are the teams that are going to prevail in the end.”

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Connor Tarter

LSU junior guard DaShawn Harden (24) attempts to navigate around a Florida defender Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014 during the Tigers' 83-68 victory against the Gators in the PMAC.