No. 1 LSUS Advances to RRAC Championship with 79-68 Win Over Xavier

ALEXANDRIA, La. — Top-seeded LSU Shreveport punched its ticket to the RRAC Women's Basketball Tournament Championship on Saturday afternoon, defeating Xavier University of Louisiana, 79-68, inside the Laborde Earles Coliseum.

With the win, the Pilots improve to 26-4 overall and will face Texas A&M University-San Antonio on Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m. in the RRAC Championship Game.

LSUS wasted little time settling in. After Xavier jumped out to an early lead, the Pilots responded with a 19-5 run midway through the first quarter, fueled by timely shooting and defensive pressure. A 3-pointer from Selma Markisic and back-to-back triples from Sami Slusarek and Elaina Burns helped LSUS take a 26-21 advantage into the second quarter.

The Pilots continued to build separation in the second period, shooting efficiently and forcing turnovers that turned into points on the other end. LSUS closed the half on a strong note when Markisic buried a three in the final seconds, sending the Pilots into the locker room with a 45-32 lead.

LSUS shot an impressive 53.4 percent (31-of-58) from the field and controlled the glass, outrebounding Xavier 35-25. The Pilots also dished out 20 assists and scored 34 points in the paint.

Markisic led the way with 18 points and five steals, impacting the game on both ends of the floor. Ally Fleenor added 14 points and three assists, while Paula Gonzalez Herrero contributed 10 points and seven rebounds.

Sami Slusarek pulled down six rebounds, and Amandine L'Etang anchored the interior with eight rebounds and three blocks as LSUS limited second-chance opportunities and protected the rim throughout the contest.

The Gold Nuggets, led by Alicia Blanton's 22 points, four rebounds, and four steals, made multiple second-half runs. Tiarra Tillison added 12 points, while Jaleah Lafargue filled the stat sheet with 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Tracey Thomas chipped in 10 points.

Xavier trimmed the deficit to six in the fourth quarter after a Blanton three-pointer made it 63-57 with just over seven minutes remaining. But LSUS responded immediately.

Markisic's three-pointer at the 4:35 mark pushed the lead back to double digits, and the Pilots closed the game with poise at the free-throw line and in the paint to secure the 11-point victory.

The Pilots' largest lead reached 15 points in the third quarter, and despite 21 turnovers, LSUS maintained control with efficient offense and defensive stops down the stretch.

LSU Shreveport will turn its attention to Texas A&M-San Antonio in Sunday's RRAC Championship showdown at 2 p.m. inside Laborde Earles Coliseum, with a conference title on the line.

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