LSU women’s basketball coach Van Chancellor says “one of the best-kept secrets in America” will roll into the PMAC tonight.That secret is Xavier’s women’s basketball team.”We’re playing a team that nobody knows … that none of our fans know,” Chancellor said. “This team is better than Notre Dame.”The Lady Tigers (1-1) enter the 7 p.m. game against Xavier (2-2) with some renewed confidence after Monday’s 63-47 win against Tulane.LSU junior guard Allison Hightower broke out of her shooting slump with a career-high 19 points.The win was a much-needed nerve settler for the Lady Tigers after a jittery 63-52 season-opening loss to No. 16 Notre Dame.”We were just scared to death,” Chancellor said of the season opener.No. 22 Xavier lost by just six points to No. 4 North Carolina in the preseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament.Despite the loss, Xavier sophomore 6-foot-6-inch center Ta’Shia Phillips led the team with 23 points and a school-record 25 rebounds.But No. 9 Louisville showed Phillips can be stopped, when the Cardinals limited her to just five points in a 65-55 win against Xavier on Saturday.Louisville coach Jeff Walz told the media his game plan was to make the other players prove their worth.”Phillips is such a dominant player,” he said. “I’ll take my chances with other kids having to step up.”Chancellor is well aware of the challenge Phillips presents to his post players.”We’re not big in the post, and they feature a big lady,” he said. “It’s going to be a challenge for us.”The Lady Tigers’ tallest players are 6-foot-3-inch freshman forwards Ayana Dunning and Swayze Black. Neither has played significant minutes this season.Immediately following  Monday’s win, Chancellor said 6-foot-2-inch freshman forward Courtney Jones, along with freshman point guard Destini Hughes and Hightower, would start Wednesday. He was still debating the other two spots, but Chancellor said Tuesday sophomore guard Katherine Graham and 6-foot-2-inch freshman forward LaSondra Barrett will likely get the nod.Barrett started against Tulane but struggled early to limit the Green Wave’s points in the paint. Chancellor said Barrett only played zone defense in high school and needs to improve her physical presence. She ended the game with four personal fouls.”Most of the time, I was just trying to get in the passing lane, but then I decided to go to the front and I wasn’t getting back around,” Barrett said of her performance against Tulane. “I’m going to work on it in practice and try to make up for my mistakes.”—-Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]