LSU Rolls Past Jackson State in NCAAs

Sun Mar 23, 2008 12:26 AM EDT

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BATON ROUGE — Sylvia Fowles scored 16 points and then called it a night as LSU made easy work of Jackson State, winning 66-32 in the first round of the NCAA tournament Saturday night.

The victory sends LSU on to face Marist on Monday night. The Red Foxes beat DePaul 76-57 earlier Saturday night.

No. 2 seed LSU held Jackson State to 23 percent from the field (12-52). Jackson State, a 15th seed, now is 0-4 in NCAA appearances.

Mesha Williams scored 14 for LSU, and Quianna Chaney added 12.

Gabrielle Jones led Jackson State with 7 points.

LSU outscored Jackson State 44 to 10 in the paint and held a 45-29 advantage in rebounds.

LSU led Jackson State 33-11 at the half — tying Jackson State with four teams for the fewest points scored in a half in the NCAA tournament. Their 32-point total was the third-fewest points scored in an NCAA tournament game, behind 29 by Long Island against Connecticut in 2001 and 27 for Southern University against Duke in 2006.

LSU has been to the NCAA tournament 17 times. In each of the last four years, the Tigers have made it to the Final Four.

The Tigers, however, have never reached the championship game, losing in the national semifinals each time. LSU lost 52-50 to Tennessee in 2004, then lost to Baylor by 11 the following season and to Duke by 19 in 2006. Last season under acting head coach Bob Starkey, the Tigers beat top-seeded Connecticut to reach the Final Four before losing in the semifinals to Rutgers.

LSU wants to do more than match Connecticut's record of five trips to the Final Four. This year — with five senior starters — the Tigers are determined to bring home a championship.