The LSU women’s basketball team cruised to a win in the NCAA tournament first round for the 13th straight time with a 60-39 victory against Hartford on Saturday.
The No. 7-seeded Lady Tigers scored 17 unanswered points in the first half to set the tone for the game after the No. 10-seeded Hawks opened the game on a 4-0 run.
LSU also went on a 13-0 run in the second half to extend its lead to 47-21 after Hartford closed the deficit to 13 on a 4-point play by sophomore guard Ilicia Mathis.
LSU sophomore forward LaSondra Barrett led all scorers Saturday with 20 points, and senior guard Allison Hightower and sophomore forward Courtney Jones each added 10 points, as LSU led by as many as 29 points on the day.
The Lady Tigers’ defense stymied the Hawks by allowing them to shoot 29.6 percent from the floor and 17.6 percent from the 3-point line.
LSU will next face No. 2-seeded Duke in the second round of the Memphis Regional on Monday night at 6 p.m. Duke defeated No. 15-seeded Hampton, 72-37.
—-Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected].