WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Florida coach Carol Ross has long admired perennial power Louisiana Tech's suffocating defense and baseline-to-baseline intensity.
So her seventh-ranked Gators applied a heavy dose of both Saturday in the Women's Mideast Regional semifinals, stunning the fifth-ranked Lady Techsters with a 13-1 opening run during a 71-57 victory.
Now, after dismantling Tech and destroying USC last week, upstart Florida (24-8) goes after its third straight traditional power Monday night in the regional championship against Old Dominion.
''Our players were probably sick of the coaches talking about how hard Tech plays. I think they not only wanted to show Tech how hard they could play, but also the coaches,'' said Ross, the former Auburn assistant taking Florida on its longest NCAA ride.
''We respect history and tradition, but we're trying to make a little of our own. If you get too wrapped up in what was, then you can miss what is.''
What was Saturday was Ross expertly changing defenses on a young Tech team that missed its first 15 shots, made 21 turnovers and scored a season-low 59 points.
Tech averaged 81 points and held foes to 54 this season in running up a 31-4 record. But the Gators scored their 54th point with nearly nine minutes left when All-American center DeLisha Milton's twisting layup turned into a three-point play. Tech was down 19.
Tech, down by 20 twice in the first half, clawed to within six at 34-28 with 16:32 left in the game behind three straight baskets from its inside tandem of Alisa Burras and Amanda Wilson.
But the Gator zone forced two straight turnovers, and the 6-1 Milton stepped outside to make three feathery jumpers from the elbow of the foul line. The last put the Gators up 46-31 with 12:04 left.
''They like to overplay the passing lanes. I saw an opportunity when she sagged off me,'' said Milton, who finished with 18 points despite taking just two shots in the first half. ''We've added that (outside jumper) to our arsenal in the last couple of weeks.''
Forward Talatha Bingham made 4-of-11 three-point attempts to finish with 14 points, one of four Gators in double figures.
''DeLisha stepped up when we needed it,'' Bingham said. ''All coach told her was get down in the block lower and post up harder.''
Old Dominion 62, LSU 49
Their All-American point guard had as many turnovers as assists. Their nation's-best shooting percentage nearly hit freezing at 32.8 percent. Their deadly-efficient transition game almost killed them with 21 turnovers.
That's why the No. 2 Old Dominion Lady Monarchs heaved a tornado sigh after Saturday's
ugly -infested victory over No. 9 Louisiana State.
''Tisha (Penicheiro) knows how fortunate we are to be here after today and especially after Purdue last week,'' said ODU coach Wendy Larry of her point guard. ''We've talked about it. Going out there relaxed. We're still playing tight. Hopefully the best is yet to come.''
That's what Old Dominion (32-1) needs against Florida in Monday's Regional Championship. Old Dominion must play like it did Saturday in the final 1:48 of the first half and final four minutes of the game. Late in the first half, using its defense to generate its whiplash fast break, ODU ripped off an 8-2 run to take a 30-20 half-time lead. Penicheiro, who shot 0-for-8 and had five turnovers and assists, passed for the last two baskets.
''She attacked the basket as well as she did all game,'' Larry said. ''Down the stretch, we were playing not to lose. And when you do that, you're tentative.''
Penicheiro agreed she was off, but said, ''It shows you the beauty of this team. We have other people who stepped up.''
Old Dominion turned to its dominating inside game, and it has yet to fail. Forwards Mery Andrade and Clarisse Machanguana and center Nyree Roberts combined for 47 points and 32 rebounds, compared to 49 and 43 for LSU's entire team.
''Their bench didn't beat us, the horses beat us,'' said LSU coach Sue Gunter. ''The difference in the game was the boards. We got killed. We gave up 19 offensive boards in the first half. It was amazing we were only down by 10 points.''
And Old Dominion's nation-leading scoring defense didn't fail them either. LSU shot a miserable 30 percent, and their high-powered duo of guard Elaine Powell and wing forward Pietra Gay combined to shoot 13-for-38 after Larry had her defenders concentrate on containing the dribble.
''It's kind of hard to get a shot off, especially when you got someone wrapping you around the arm,'' said Powell, who shot 61 percent in the previous five games.
WOMEN'S BRACKET
