The 24th-ranked LSU women’s basketball team overcame a slow start but responded with a 20-3 run midway through the second half that lifted the Lady Tigers to a 68-50 win over Loyola University in an exhibition game on Wednesday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

LSU (1-0 in exhibition games) plays its second and final exhibition contest on Tuesday, Nov. 16 as the Lady Tigers take on the Houston Jags at 7 p.m. in the Maravich Center. Loyola (0-1), ranked 24th in the NAIA preseason poll, lost its first exhibition game of the season.

After reaching a fifth straight NCAA Final Four in 2008, four LSU players made their first career starts and a total of eight new faces saw their first career collegiate action. Junior guard Allison Hightower led the Lady Tigers with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the field.

“We played a lot of players tonight,” LSU head coach Van Chancellor said. “We played a really good second half. I thought we were slow to warm up, but we’re just trying to take a bunch of new players and teach them what to do. We’ve got to play smarter, but understand that today is Nov. 5. We haven’t practiced very long with a really good team.”

Forward LaSondra Barrett, one of seven true freshmen on the squad, was outstanding in her debut as she poured in 11 points while adding four assists and three steals. Sophomore guard Katherine Graham added 10 points and finished 2-of-2 from beyond three-point range while registering a game-high six assists.

“(LaSondra) Barrett was pretty special tonight,” Chancellor said. “I thought for a freshman to play 16 minutes and have 11 points and four assists was pretty good. I thought she played as well as any of our young players.”

LSU trailed 6-0 after misfiring on its first six shots from the field. However, senior forward Kristen Morris broke the scoreless drought on a lay-up with 16:02 remaining in the first half.

Loyola proved its experience from a team that reached the NAIA Elite Eight a season ago as the Lady Tigers did not take their first lead of the game until the 9:37 mark in the first half. The Wolfpack kept it close and trailed by only four at the break, 28-24.

LSU turned up its defensive pressure right out of the locker room and began its 20-3 run on a jumper by freshman Courtney Jones with 13:33 in the second half. The Lady Tigers extended their lead to double digits when Hightower buried a 3-pointer and converted a jumper off a Jones rebound with 10:20 to play.

Graham gave LSU a convincing 60-37 advantage on 3-pointer with 6:28 left in the game, and the Lady Tigers maintained the double-digit margin the rest of the way.

LSU shot 40 percent (27-of-58) from the field and out-rebounded Loyola, 37-30.

Wolfpack guard Trenese Smith led all scorers with 17 points.