LSU-SHREVEPORT USES SIZE ADVANTAGE TO DOWN TABOR 69-59

SALINA, Kansas – The Louisiana State-Shreveport Pilots didn't do anything they haven't done all season long in their first-round game of the NAIA Women's National Championships. With the win the Pilots improve to an even overall record of 30-2 increasing their streak to 28 straight wins. The Pilots also took home their National Tournament as well.

Utilizing their considerable size advantage they repeatedly worked the ball inside to their bigger players. The results were everything they hoped for.

LSU-S scored 48 points in the paint and outrebounded the smaller Tabor Bluejays by 10 in a 69-59 victory Friday afternoon inside Kansas Wesleyan's Mabee Arena.

The Pilots (30-2) play Mayville State (25-3) in the second round at 3 p.m. Saturday, the winner advancing to the Final Site in Sioux City, Iowa starting March 21.

"That's what we practice every day, pounding, pounding, pounding on the inside," said Destanee Roblow, a 6-foot-3 center who had nine points and seven rebounds. "So, when we got here today, we pounded on the inside. It was pretty much what we do every day."

Tabor (27-5) refused to go quietly, though. LSU-S led 46-45 after three quarters and the game was tied 55-55 with under six minutes left when the Pilots took control. Back-to-back 3-pointers by TanaIshia Hairston and Alexis Brown made it 61-55 with 4:44 left. The Bluejays got within 63-59 on a basket by Miyah McGee with 3:16 left but didn't score the rest of the game.

LSU-S outscored Tabor 48-24 in the paint.

"We wanted to really get the ball into the paint and attack the basket off the bounce," LSU-S coach Kyle Blankenship said. "They did our gameplan to a tee. Just proud of the girls for going out there and getting it done. All of this is about them and what they've done all year."

Brown, the team's point guard, scored a team-high 15 points. Sharayah Johnson, a 6-4 center, had 12 points. LSU-S shot 53.7 percent (29 of 54) for the game and had 12 offensive rebounds.

"It does make your job a lot easier to have the ball out front and know you just have to get it inside to the bigger girls and let them do what they do," said Brown who also had five assists and three steals.

McGee and Alyvia Owens led Tabor with 15 points apiece and Kassidy Beam had 12. The Bluejays shot 47.8 percent (22 of 46) that included 3 of 15 beyond the arc.