The LSU women’s basketball team built a 15-point halftime lead against Louisiana Tech on Tuesday night.But the Lady Tigers allowed the Lady Techsters to bounce back in the second half, and they scored 46 points and came within a 3-point attempt as time expired of sending the game to overtime.But Louisiana Tech’s desperation shot failed, and No. 7 LSU held on for a 77-74 victory in Ruston and ran its record to 6-0 for the first time since the 2005-2006 season.LSU coach Van Chancellor said after the game the Lady Tigers were lucky to come out with a win — their 31st straight against in-state opponents and fifth straight against Louisiana Tech (3-1). “LSU had a 15-point lead, a 13-point lead, an 11-point lead, a 9-point lead, and it goes down, but we found a way to win,” Chancellor said in his postgame radio show. “I thought when [Louisiana Tech forward Adrienne Johnson] shot it, ‘Oh, my God, it’s going in,’ but then I saw it went right, and we won the game.”After leaving LSU’s game against Tulane with cramps, LSU senior guard Allison Hightower looked like her usual self when she returned to the court Tuesday.Hightower lit up Louisiana Tech for a career-high 32 points — 25 in the first half — and Chancellor said Hightower never ceases to amaze him.”Allison Hightower played like an All-American today,” Chancellor said. “That first half was as good as I’ve seen her.”Hightower attributed her performance to her teammates getting her involved.”I just felt good shooting the ball,” she said. “It was one of those nights where almost everything went in. The game was intense the whole 40 minutes.”LSU converted 50 percent of its shots from the field and 79.2 percent, 19-of-24, from the free throw line. Hightower was the only LSU player to miss a free throw, as she went 9-of-14 from the charity stripe.”Everybody made their free throws except Hightower,” Chancellor said. “She got a little tired there in the second half, but I wasn’t going to take her off.”With 52 seconds left, Louisiana Tech guard Jasmine Bendolph cut LSU’s lead to one point, 73-72. LSU sophomore forward Taylor Turnbow and junior guard Latear Eason each made two free throws, and sophomore forward LaSondra Barrett clinched a key offensive rebound before Johnson missed a tying 3-pointer.Barrett led the team with seven rebounds, including two on the offensive side, and scored 14 points.”Barrett made some kind of rebound there at the end,” Chancellor said. “She did a great job of jumping out and guarding and then jumping back over and guarding her man.”Both Chancellor and Louisiana Tech coach Teresa Weatherspoon were issued technical fouls Tuesday, which reflected the intensity of the rivals’ showdown, Chancellor said.”We thought Barrett got hammered on the arm at the high post when she was getting ready to pass it,” Chancellor said. “I deserve a lot of [technical fouls], but I didn’t think I deserved this one.”LSU will have a break from basketball for the next 11 days, as the Lady Tigers will next take on the University of New Orleans on Dec. 13 in the PMAC.—-Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]