Lady Tigers to play Middle Tennessee

• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 30, 2008 - UPDATED: JASON RUSSELL

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After a frustrating 57-48 loss to No. 25 Xavier on Wednesday, the LSU women’s basketball team looks to rebound against Middle Tennessee State at 1 p.m. today.

For LSU coach Van Chancellor, it’s just another chance for his young team to improve.

“We’ve just got a lot of growing pains but I feel really good,” Chancellor said. “I think our team is getting better and better.”

The Lady Tigers (1-2) are led by junior Allison Hightower, who averages 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds through three games. Hightower finished the game against Xavier with 15 points, 11 rebounds and two steals. It marked her first career double-double.

Freshman Courtney Jones averages 8.3 points and 6 rebounds per game.

“Courtney Jones has played outstanding,” Chancellor said. “She’s played so well and done so many great things. A lot of people have played well.

“We have to transform what we’ve done in practice to the games.”

All 12 players on LSU’s roster have played in at least two games, with sometimes four or five newcomers on the floor at a time.

Middle Tennessee is coming off a 77-57 Friday night victory over Pac-10 foe Arizona. The Lady Raiders (4-1) have three players averaging double digits in points scored, led by Alysha Clark at 22.4 per game. Anne Marie Lanning is at 15 per game while Chelsia Lymon averages 13 per contest.

“We’re playing a really good Middle Tennessee team,” he said. “They shoot the ball well from the 3-point line, so it’s going to be tough.

“What you really have to do is get out and pressure the passer and don’t give them any open looks.”

The difficult early-season schedule is something Chancellor sees as helping his team later on down the road.