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Vanderbilt Knocks Off No. 2 Seed LSU, 78-66 in SEC Semifinals 3-7-04 3/7/2004 Commodores to play for fourth SEC Championship on Sunday NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jenni Benningfield scored 20 points, and No. 21 Vanderbilt knocked off 15th-ranked LSU 78-66 Saturday night, preventing the defending champion from returning to the finals of the Southeastern Conference tournament. The second-seeded Lady Tigers had been trying to reach the title game for the third straight year, hoping to add a third tournament championship to their resume. But the SEC’s best shooting team couldn’t match sixth-seeded Vanderbilt (23-7), which won its seventh straight game by outperforming the Lady Tigers — against whom they began their streak with a 61-55 win at Baton Rouge on Feb. 19. Seimone Augustus led LSU (23-7) with 22 points. The SEC now is guaranteed of getting only its second-ever champion to win four games in four days, as Auburn did in 1997. The Commodores will play No. 20 Georgia, a 68-66 overtime upset winner over top-ranked Tennessee, for the title Sunday. The Commodores are back in the title game for the third time in four years, looking for their fourth tournament title and first since 2002 when they won on this very court. Carla Thomas added 12 points, Abi Ramsey 11 and Hillary Hager and Ashley Earley 10 apiece for Vanderbilt. The Commodores outrebounded LSU 44-28 and outshot them 46.6 percent (27-of-58) to 38.6 percent (22-of-57). LSU and Vandy were the SEC’s top teams in field-goal percentage, but the Lady Tigers led just once — after the opening basket by Hanna Biernacka. Ramsey hit a 3-pointer that started the Commodores rolling, and they hit seven of their first 11 shots and led 18-9 with 12:03 to go on a pair of free throws by Dee Davis. Vandy led 45-30 at halftime and by as much as 52-34 on a three-point play by Ramsey with 17:35 left. Augustus and Temeeka Johnson tried to rally the Lady Tigers. Johnson, shut out in the first half, scored 11 points, and Augustus had 14 in the second half. But the closest they got was 65-60 on a pair of free throws by Scholanda Hoston with 5:56 left. Vandy answered with six straight free throws by Earley, Katie Antony and Ramsey to pad the victory. Hoston finished with 12 points. LSU’s Doneeka Hodges had just nine points on 3-of-10 shooting. She averaged 14.9 during the regular season. |
