Last year at this time, LSU was set to take on then-Southeastern Conference champion Tennessee at the Final Four in New Orleans. LSU’s title hopes were shattered when the Lady Vols put up an uncontested layup with 1.2 seconds remaining to defeat LSU 52-50.
Freshman Sylvia Fowles, who was a high school senior on hand for the game after taking part in the All-American WBCA Game, witnessed the loss. Yet for Fowles, seeing LSU in the Final Four was all she needed to attract her to LSU.
“It’s a good feeling to know I was wishing and hoping I could have been on the court last year,” Fowles said. “Now that I have the opportunity, it’s an even better feeling.”
Fowles and the No. 1 overall seeded Lady Tigers will have that opportunity on Sunday when LSU (33-2) takes on No. 2 seed Baylor in the first game of the Final Four in Indianapolis.
The Lady Tigers earned their second straight trip to the Final Four after knocking off Duke 59-49 Monday at the Chattanooga Regional.
Baylor earned the school’s first trip to the Final Four after upsetting No. 1 seed North Carolina on Tuesday.
Fowles, who graduated from Edison High School in Miami, Fla., said handling the pressure of playing with a Final Four team has come easy thanks to help from teammates.
“It’s not overwhelming at all,” Fowles said. “I’m able to take care of myself, and my teammates help me out and keep us steady.”
While LSU and Baylor met once during the regular season, with LSU pulling out a 71-70 victory in November, LSU coach Pokey Chatman said having already played a Final Four team will not hold any advantages.
“It don’t think it’s an advantage,” Chatman said. “It just gives us a clear indication of how good of a team they actually are.”
The Lady Bears are led by junior forward Sophia Young, who is averaging 18.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
“They’re athletic,” Chatman said. “They’re strong. They’re quick with the ball and quick without the ball, and they’re one of the best rebounding teams in the nation.”
Young is complemented by senior Steffanie Blackmon, who averages 15.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
Junior Scholanda Hoston, who ranks first on the team with 2.2 steals per game, said LSU will need to put fourth a strong defensive effort to get the win.
“They’re really strong in the post,” Hoston said. “We’re going to have to play good defense on their post players and not let them get off.”
LSU will look to rely on Fowles to slow down the Blackmon-Young tandem. Fowles currently ranks 15th in the nation in blocked shots at 2.8 per game, while swatting seven blocks through the first four games of the Tournament.
The LSU-Baylor matchup features two of the nation’s top offensive and defensive squads.
LSU is No. 10 in the nation in points allowed at 53.0 per game, while the Lady Bears put up an average 74.2 points per contest.
Offensively, the Lady Tigers are led by junior Seimone Augustus, averaging 20.1 points per game during the regular season and 19.9 points through the Tournament. Augustus was also selected as one of five John R. Wooden Women’s All-Americans. The winner of the John R. Wooden Award, given to the nation’s top player, will be announced April 9.
After returning home from Chattanooga late Monday night, the Lady Tigers had Tuesday off before returning to practice Wednesday. LSU then departed for Indianapolis yesterday.
Despite the tough schedule during the week, Hoston said it is something the team has been used to for some time.
“It’s just a part of it,” Hoston said. “We’ve had spans like that during the regular season, so we’ve gotten accustomed to it.”
LSU and Baylor will tip off at 6 p.m. at the RCA Dome on Sunday night. The LSU-Baylor winner will face off with the winner of the Tennessee-Michigan State game on Tuesday for the national championship.