BATON ROUGE – After a dominating win over No. 24 Middle Tennessee, the seventh-ranked LSU women’s basketball team returns to action when they take on Houston and Nicholls State this weekend in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The Lady Tigers face Houston at noon CST Saturday and then Nicholls State at 7:30 p.m. CST Sunday.

Both games will be carried live on the LSU Sports Radio Network on 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge. Patrick Wright and Jeff Palermo handle the call. Live streaming audio and video is also available in the Geaux Zone on www.LSUsports.net.

Tickets are on sale and cost $10 for lower and prime middle seating, $8 for middle seating, $6 for adult general admission and $3 for youth general admission. Admission for LSU students is free.

The first 1,500 fans in attendance on Saturday will receive the first set of the 2009-10 LSU women’s basketball trading cards. Saturday’s game is also Special Olympics Day. Louisiana Special Olympians will be recognized during timeouts and at halftime. Pat Carpenter Bourgeois, President/CEO of Special Olympics Louisiana, will serve as a guest coach on the LSU bench.

For a complete schedule of future promotions, visit www.JumpOnTheVanWagon.com.

LSU (2-0) is coming off a signature early-season 61-40 win against the Blue Raiders on Wednesday night. The Lady Tigers held MTSU to its fewest point total since Jan. 5, 1998 in a 57-32 loss to Tennessee-Martin.

In two games, LSU has allowed a combined 59 points, which is a Southeastern Conference leading 29.5 points per game average. The Lady Tigers are also holding opponents to a league-best 26.0 percent from the field. LSU has forced opponents to 61 turnovers while senior Allison Hightower has seven steals.

Hightower is one of three Lady Tigers who average double-figures in points. She posts 13.5 points per contest and 3.0 rebounds per game. Sophomore forward Taylor Turnbow delivered the best game of her career in her last outing with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Turnbow is averaging 12.0 points and 7.5 boards per contest.

Houston brings a 3-0 mark into Saturday’s contest. The Cougars defense has been equally effective in wins against Gardner-Webb, UT-Arlington and Oregon State. UH held the Beavers to 32 points in a 49-32 win on Thursday night in Houston.

“We don’t expect a letdown from our team because we know how good of a team Houston is,” LSU head coach Van Chancellor said. “We have too much respect for them and coach Joe Curl. Anytime you are 3-0 and hold a team like Oregon State to 32 points, that’s a challenge that awaits you.”

UH junior forward Courtney Taylor averages a double-double with 17.0 points and 15.0 rebounds per contest. She pulled down 19 boards and blocked four shots in the win over Oregon State. Junior guard Brittney Scott leads the team in points per game with 19.7.

“She’s (Taylor) is the real deal,” Chancellor said. “Anytime you average a double-double, you are a good basketball player. She has been a force on the boards and we will have to try to contain her.”

LSU leads the all-time series with Houston, 5-3. The two teams last met in 2007 when then-seventh-ranked LSU won by a score of 77-46 at Hofheinz Pavilion. This will be the Cougars first appearance in Baton Rouge since losing to the Lady Tigers, 88-44, on Nov. 28, 1998.

Nicholls State (0-1) lost at New Orleans, 60-50, in its season-opener. The Lady Colonels host Louisiana Tech on Friday evening. They are coached by DoBee Plaisance, mother of LSU Lady Tiger Class of 2010 signee Theresa Plaisance.

LSU is a perfect 9-0 all-time against Nicholls State. The Lady Tigers and Colonels are playing for the first time since 1995 when LSU won by a score of 108-54 in Baton Rouge.

For more information on LSU women’s basketball:

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