Barrett helps No. 7 LSU top Tulane

NEW ORLEANS (AP)—With leading scorer Allison Hightower out with cramps, LaSondra Barrett stepped up in overtime to carry seventh-ranked LSU.

LaSondra Barrett scored seven of her game-high 22 points in overtime to lead the Tigers to a 73-65 victory over Tulane on Wednesday night.

“I was like, its time to suck it up and do whatever I can and pull out this win,” Barrett said. “My teammates from the bench were encouraging me, so I knew I could do it at that point.”

LSU (5-0), which scored only five points in the final 15:30 of regulation, played without Allison Hightower for the last 2:44 and all of overtime. She fell to the floor with a leg injury and watched the rest of the game from the baseline at the end of the Tigers bench while trainers stretched her leg.

“We can’t solve the cramps,” LSU coach Van Chancellor said. “I don’t know what’s going on. Some way, somehow medically we’ve got to solve this problem because it hurts her.”

Freshman Olivia Grayson led Tulane (2-2) with 16 points. The Green Wave, who never have beaten a team ranked higher than No. 11, lost for the eighth consecutive time to the Tigers.

The Tigers, who had beaten Tulane by at least 16 points in their last six meetings, appeared to be en route to another easy victory when the scored 10 in a row to take a 54-41 lead early in the second half.

Instead, they made only two more baskets for the rest of regulation. Tulane went on a 15-3 run to close the gap to 58-56, then missed six shots with a chance to tie or take the lead before Grayson’s free throws tied the score at 59 with 59.2 seconds left.

Tulane had a chance to win in the final seconds, but Grayson lost the ball near the baseline.

“Our goal was to be in the last five minutes of the game and have a chance to win it,” Tulane coach Lisa Stockton said. We were exactly where we wanted to be. You can’t ask for more than to have the ball with a chance to win it, but it just didn’t work out.”

Barrett took over in overtime, scoring five of the Tigers’ first six points as they went ahead 65-61. LSU led by at least four the rest of the way, and Barrett sealed the game with a pair of free throws with a 14.1 seconds left to make the score 71-65.

“They gave us their best and made a run,” Barrett said. “We just made a better run at the end.”

Hightower had 18 points but none after scoring eight in the first 4:30 of the second half. Katherine Graham added 11 for LSU, including two inside baskets in overtime.

Tiffany Aidoo was the only other Tulane player in double figures with 12 points.

“I give all the credit to Tulane,” Chancellor said. “They really carried it to us tonight. I’m glad and happy to get out of here.”