BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - LSU women's coach Nikki Fargas challenged her team to stand up to one of the top rebounding teams in the nation. The Lady Tigers did that and more.
Ayana Mitchell and LSU were better on the boards Sunday, turning that edge into a 70-59 win over No. 10 Tennessee.
Mitchell matched a career high with 16 rebounds, helping LSU (13-6, 5-3 Southeastern Conference) to a 44-32 advantage. The Lady Tigers grabbed 23 offensive rebounds, resulting in 20 second-chance points.
Chloe Jackson scored 17 of her 21 points in the second half and finished with nine rebounds and four assists. She hit three jump shots in an 8-0 spurt in the fourth quarter to extend LSU's lead to 53-43 with 6:55 remaining. Tennessee quickly cut it to a five-point deficit but got no closer the rest of the way.
Raigyne Louis added 18 points and eight rebounds.
Tennessee center Mercedes Russell (21) dives on the floor to recover the ball she knocked loose from LSU guard Chloe Jackson (0) who also dives in during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)LSU broke the game open by taking the lead in the third period, outscoring the Lady Vols 19-9.
"It took everybody going in and making the choice to rebound," Fargas said. "We talked about that pregame, us not quitting. We played like we were the underdog team. We don't mind that role. I like the idea we were scrappy and undersized."
"Our shot selection was better. When we knew that shot was coming off our offensive rebounding was better. We ran some things to pull their size away from the basket," she said.
Mercedes Russell led Tennessee (17-4, 5-3) with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Meme Jackson added 13 points while Evina Westbrook had 10 points and seven assists.
Tennessee's leading scorer, Jaime Nared, was hampered by foul trouble and had nine points in 22 minutes. It was the fourth loss in the last six games for Tennessee, which was held to 23 below its scoring average.
The Lady Vols shot 30 percent (nine for 30) in the second half.
"LSU was outstanding today," Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said. "We can't give up 23 offensive rebounds and expect to win. They were gritty, they out-toughed us. They got after us and we didn't respond."
"It's uncharacteristic of us. We're a physical, rebounding team, We must have left it in Knoxville today," she said.
Tennessee led by five at halftime but LSU used a 9-0 capped by a jump shot by Jackson to take the lead for good.
BIG PICTURE
LSU: Improved to 7-1 at home and 2-4 vs. ranked teams. ... It was LSU's second straight home upset of Tennessee, having beaten the No. 24 Lady Vols in 2016.
Tennessee: Dropped into a tie with LSU for sixth place in the SEC. ... First loss to an unranked team in 14 games.
UP NEXT
Tennessee: Host No. 15 Texas A&M on Thursday.
LSU: The Lady Tigers are home vs. No. 21 Georgia on Thursday, LSU's third consecutive ranked opponent.