Nov. 26, 2004
Box Score
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - LSU freshman Sylvia Fowles is benefiting from all the attention teammate Seimone Augustus is drawing.
Fowles finished with 18 points and 18 rebounds, and Augustus added 23 points, leading second-ranked LSU to a 64-51 victory over No. 22 Maryland on Friday night in the opening game of the Coors Classic.
Fowles is learning to play off the talents of Augustus.
"Seimone is such a great player that deserves the attention," Fowles said. "It opens up things for me because they get into Seimone and Temeka (Johnson)."
Fowles keyed a second-half run by scoring 15 points. Augustus shot 10 for 23 and scored in double figures for the 32nd straight game for LSU (6-0).
"Six games into the season, she seems to get a little bit better with each game," LSU coach Pokey Chatman said. "The pleasing thing there is that the competition seems to get a lot tougher."
Laura Harper led Maryland (2-1) with 17 points and 16 rebounds. Shay Doron scored in double figures for the ninth straight game, finishing with 14 points.
Doron completed a three-point play early in the second half, capping a 15-4 run that gave Maryland a 35-33 lead. A basket by Jade Perry put Maryland ahead 39-37.
Fowles then scored eight points in a 12-0 run for LSU, which moved out to a 49-39 lead.
Kalika France made a basket and a free throw that pulled Maryland within 52-49, but Fowles made four free throws in the final 3:08 to help secure the win.
"They really got after us in the second half," Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. "They hurt us down low with their rebounding."
LSU led 29-20 at halftime despite committing 11 turnovers.
Augustus, who scored 11 points in the period, hit a jumper and baby hook in a 6-0 run that put the Tigers ahead 26-18. Maryland shot 0 for 7 and had four turnovers during that 5-minute stretch.
Anesia Smith snapped Maryland's scoreless streak with a layup with 3:05 left, and Laura Harper hit an off-balance jumper.
"I think the learning curve is huge and it is something that's going to come with experience," Chatman said of Fowles. "She has been taught all her life to stand behind on the post, don't leave the paint, so on top of the normal college experience in terms of basketball, she is having to break lifetime habits and is progressing along just fine."
