LSU Loses Its Coach and Gets Upset, 61-55

No. 15-ranked Louisiana State -- playing without Coach Sue Gunter, who will miss the rest of the season because of lung problems and acute bronchitis -- was upset by Vanderbilt, 61-55, Thursday night in a Southeastern Conference game at Baton Rouge, La.

Gunter will continue to participate in film sessions and practices at her own discretion for the Tigers. Longtime assistant Dana “Pokey” Chatman will serve as acting head coach in Gunter’s absence.

LSU (20-5, 8-3) had won 13 consecutive home games -- the second-longest streak in the SEC. The Tigers also had won five in a row going into the game. The Commodores (17-7, 5-6) had lost four in a row. Both teams shot 40%, but the Commodores made five of 13 three-point baskets to LSU’s two-of-seven, and 14 second-chance points to five for the Tigers.

No. 3 Tennessee 88, Florida 79 -- The Gators (16-8, 6-5 SEC) gave the host Lady Vols (22-2, 11-0) a tough game, leading for most of the first half and the beginning of the second before they got their 31st consecutive conference victory.

Florida led, 41-37, early in the second half when Tennessee went on a 14-0 run. The Gators cut the deficit to one point twice and got as close as 76-74 with 2:41 left. The Lady Vols pulled away by going 10 for 10 from the free throw line in the final 1:39.

No. 4 Duke 87, Virginia 54 -- Alana Beard scored 27 points to help the Blue Devils (21-3, 12-1) clinch the top seeding in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament for the fourth consecutive season by routing the Cavaliers (12-13, 5-8) at Durham, N.C.

No. 5 Purdue 65, Illinois 49 -- The Boilermakers (22-2, 12-1 Big Ten) started the second half with an 11-0 run and extended their winning streak to 13 by handing the Illini (10-14, 4-9) their 18th consecutive loss at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.

No. 7 Penn State 66, Wisconsin 50 -- The Badgers (8-15, 2-11 Big Ten) went on a 14-0 run to close to within 60-50 with 2:40 left at State College, Pa. But Jess Strom went six for six from the free-throw line in the last 1:02 to preserve the win for the Lady Lions (20-4, 12-1).

Iowa 81, No. 11 Minnesota 61 -- The host Hawkeyes (15-9, 9-4 Big Ten) shot 50%, forced 23 turnovers and were never threatened after taking an early 12-point lead. The Golden Gophers (18-5, 8-5) played their second game without leading scorer Lindsay Whalen, who’ll be sidelined four to six weeks with a broken right hand.

No. 16 North Carolina 79, Maryland 64 -- Despite the win at Chapel Hill, N.C., the Tar Heels (19-5, 9-4) can do no better than a tie for the ACC regular-season title with No. 4 Duke. With three games left, the Blue Devils have a three-game lead over North Carolina, which lost twice to Duke this season.

New Mexico 49, No. 25 Utah 46 -- The Lobos (15-7, 7-2 WAC) held the Utes (19-5, 9-1) without a basket for the final 11 minutes of the first half and the first three minutes of the second half at Albuquerque.