Colleges

'Noles can't run with Tigers

Missing two of its top players, FSU falls behind fast, can't close gap.

By JAMEY GIVENS, Times Correspondent
Published January 4, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT [AP photo] LSU's Quianna Chaney scores two of her career-high 27 in front of FSU's Shante Williams during the second half.

TALLAHASSEE - Florida State coach Sue Semrau wouldn't offer any excuses.

Her team, playing without arguably its best two players in Britany Miller and Tanae Davis-Cain because of suspensions, pushed No. 11 LSU to the limit Thursday night.

But it couldn't overcome Quianna Chaney's career-high 27 points or the return of LSU's All-America center Sylvia Fowles, and the Tigers held off the shorthanded Seminoles 73-61.

Semrau wasn't satisfied with a moral victory.

"I want to be good now," she said. "We can't worry about whether (Miller and Davis-Cain) are on the floor right now because they're not. We have got to be able to play in any circumstances."

Florida State fell in a big hole early, as Chaney scored the first eight points and LSU's first 14. She made her first four 3-point attempts and the Tigers jumped out to a 27-11 lead in the first half.

The Seminoles (10-5) clawed back and pulled within four midway through the second half. Florida State had two chances to make it a one-possession game, but LSU turned it away twice. The Tigers then swiftly put the game out of reach with a 9-2 run.

"They stayed composed the entire game. ... They didn't get rattled when we cut the lead to four," Semrau said. "That's a very, very good basketball team."

LSU (11-3) shot 54 percent from the field, including 8-for-15 from the 3-point line. The Tigers got a big boost from Fowles, who scored 11 in her first action since arthroscopic knee surgery Dec. 21. The 6-foot-6 center gave the Seminoles fits and kept Florida State's Jacinta Monroe and Cayla Moore in foul trouble for most of the night.

"She's big," said freshman Antionette Howard, who scored 11 off the bench for the Seminoles. "Big and athletic."

The Seminoles were led by Shante Williams' 20 points.

No. 11 LSU 73

FSU 61

[Last modified January 4, 2008, 00:22:36]