BATON ROUGE – Danielle Ballard and Sheila Boykin equaled their career-highs with a combined for 39 points on 15-of-29 shooting as the LSU women's basketball team toppled its second ranked opponent over a four-day stretch with an 84-79 triumph over No. 10 Kentucky on Sunday afternoon at the Maravich Center.

The Lady Tigers (10-8, 4-2 SEC) defeated SEC ranked opponents in back-to-back games for the first time since the 2007-08 season when LSU defeated No. 24 Georgia and No. 1 Tennessee on Feb. 10 and Feb. 14, 2008. LSU also knocked off Kentucky (15-4, 4-2 SEC) as a Top 10 team for the fourth time during the Nikki Caldwell era.

“When we talked about how we were going to play, I used the acronym W-I-N. We talked about it being a game where you've got to do 'Whatever it's going to take',” Caldwell said. “We had play action that showed that. I thought our defensive effort, we did whatever we needed to do to disrupt a very good basketball team in Kentucky. We talked about the 'I' standing for 'I can't do this alone' and 'this is a team sport.' When you've got (Danielle) Ballard with five assists or (Shelia) Boykin getting on the offensive glass with five offensive boards, again, it's about being givers. We talked about how 'Nothing is ever going to be given to you'. You've got to earn it. Today, we went out and earned a quality victory over a very good basketball team.”

For Ballard, it was her third 25-point performance of her career and eight of her Top 10 scoring efforts have come against ranked opponents. She also racked up 25 points during LSU's upset victory at No. 5 Tennessee last season along with LSU's win over No. 12 West Virginia during the 2012-13 campaign.

Ballard was 9-for-20 from the floor and knocked down 7-of-8 at the free throw line. She also tacked on season's best with five assists and five steals over her 32 minutes of action.

Boykin matched her career-high with 14 points and collected 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.

Raigyne Moncrief registered 15 points and seven rebounds. For Moncrief, it was 10th game in double figures on the season. Rina Hill notched six points for the Lady Tigers.

Off the bench, Jasmine Rhodes provided a spark and registered six of her season-high eight points during the second half. Jenna Deemer tallied six points, three rebounds and two assists.

As a team, LSU garnered a 31-of-69 shooting effort and knocked down 20-for-24 at the charity stripe. The 31 field goals and 84 points were season-highs for the Lady Tigers.

Kentucky countered with 23-of-70 from the floor and a 27-of-32 effort at the free throw line. The Wildcats received 19 points from Jennifer O'Neill and double-doubles courtesy of Linnae Harper (16 points, 15 rebounds) and Alexis Jennings (13 points, 11 rebounds).

LSU trailed for a majority of the opening half, but the Lady Tigers reeled off 13 of the last 17 points over the final 3:46 of the half. The Ballard-Boykin combo secured 10 of the 13 points to vault LSU to a 43-38 halftime advantage.

LSU stretched its lead to double digits after Ballard knocked down a jumper to make it 55-45 at the 13:32 mark. The Wildcats rallied with a 17-7 run and drew even at 62-62 with 7:47 remaining.

Boykin put the Lady Tigers back ahead with a layup off a nice feed from Hill. Ballard found Rhodes for a midrange jumper, and Rhodes returned the favor to find Ballard for a driving layup in transition to make it 68-62 with 6:46 to go.

Hill tacked on a traditional three-point play, and Rhodes added a layup and jumper to push the Lady Tigers back ahead by double digits at 75-65 with 4:29 left.

LSU hit 5-of-6 at the foul line over the last 36 seconds, and the Lady Tigers fended off Kentucky for the five-point victory.

“This team has now started to believe,” Caldwell said. “I think that a couple of weeks ago, we were okay when we were playing some of the best teams in the country. We were okay with playing with South Carolina and playing with Texas A&M. When you finally turn the switch in your favor and you come out with a victory against an SEC opponent at Mississippi State which is a hard place to play, it was hostile. They believe now, and they carried that belief into today's game.

LSU wraps up its stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents and travels to No. 6 Tennessee on Thursday evening. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised by the SEC Network along with www.WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.

The LSU Sports Radio Network will broadcast the game on its flagship station Talk 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge. The broadcast featuring Patrick Wright, the voice of the Lady Tigers, also will be available for Geaux Zone subscribers at www.LSUsports.net/live.

For all of the latest news and information on Lady Tiger basketball, visit www.LSUsports.net/womensbasketball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/LSUwbkb, @lsuwbkb and @NikkiCaldwell on Twitter, @LSUwbkb and @LSUNikkiCaldwell on Instagram.

LSU Women's Basketball Postgame Quotes

No. 10 Kentucky vs LSU – January 18, 2015

HEAD COACH NIKKI CALDWELL

Opening Statement …

“When we talked about how we were going to play, I used the acronym W-I-N. We talked about it being a game where you've got to do 'Whatever it's going to take'. We had play action that showed that. I thought our defensive effort, we did whatever we needed to do to disrupt a very good basketball team in Kentucky. We talked about the 'I' standing for 'I can't do this alone' and 'this is a team sport.' When you've got (Danielle) Ballard with five assists or (Shelia) Boykin getting on the offensive glass with five offensive boards, again, it's about being givers. We talked about how 'Nothing is ever going to be given to you'. You've got to earn it. Today, we went out and earned a quality victory over a very good basketball team.”

On the team's offensive execution…

“I thought offensively we had some very good looks at the basket. I thought our shot selection was very good. We did a nice job of sharing the basketball, especially (Danielle) Ballard with five assists. We didn't turn the ball over as much so that gave us those extra possessions. When you look and you get almost 70 attempts, we shot 40-to-45 percent. That's a good number for us. We also got ourselves to the free throw line, and that's a goal too trying to get there 20-plus times. We were able to do that, and we were able to knock down our free throws, so that helps us have a very good offensive night. Defensively, our ability to really turn people over, we're buying into that. We're becoming a much better defensive team, which is allowing us to get those transition baskets and not have to rely just on jump shots or things like that. We're able to run the basketball.”

On breaking the game into four-minute segments…

“I think that in the first segment of the game, Kentucky beat us round one. We talked about how they were up by one possession, but we now have to win some segments. We can do it one possession at a time. We had a run there towards the end after they tied the game. We talked to our team about how the game is about runs, and you've got to start yours to your defensive effort. I think we turned them over a few times and that led to some transition baskets. That segment, segment number nine around the eight minute mark, really is a segment that stands out to me that really turned the game around for us in our favor.”

On the team's confidence level…

“This team has now started to believe. I think that a couple of weeks ago, we were okay when we were playing some of the best teams in the country. We were okay with playing with South Carolina and playing with Texas A&M. When you finally turn the switch in your favor and you come out with a victory against an SEC opponent at Mississippi State which is a hard place to play, it was hostile. They believe now, and they carried that belief into today's game. Like Shelia (Boykin) said, we're doing more of those little things. They don't show up on the stat sheet. I can see my team hustling over to the bench, they're high fiving each other. If someone goes to the free throw line, Shelia is all the way down on the other end, and (Danielle) Ballard makes a free throw –she's yelling, 'Great shot Ballard!' Those are the things that are gelling our team together. When we play like a unit, we're capable of beating anybody.”

On Danielle Ballard and the confidence she gives the team…

“Ballard is an All American, she's one of the best guards in the country. She has the ability to make other people around here very good. When she does that and when she's up there with five-six-seven assists, other people are going to shine. We talk about that, and we talk about the fact that there are times when Danielle (Ballard) does need to take over. We are going to high ball screen, and we are going to lift the defense and give her great spacing and put a shooter in the corner so that she's not receiving the other team. She's also not a selfish player because on the defensive end, she's going to get after you as well. She plays on both sides of the basketball. Her ability to turn people over by herself, I thought she had some critical backcourt turnovers. When you think that we should be retreating and getting back, she's still back there trying to make those hustle plays. That feeds into our team. That allows (Raigyne) Moncrief and (DaShawn) Harden and those guys to play off the ball in their true positions. When you are able to have a player like Ballard on the floor, it does give a confidence to your team because she does play with it.”

On the relief Raigyne Moncrief feels …

“Definitely, I think (Raigyne) Moncrief has felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders in not feeling like she's got to do it all and that she does have another play maker out there. We also want Moncrief to continue to be that player for other people too because we are good when she is making those extra passes and getting our sharp shooters looks or when she gets past that first line of defense and that post player rotates over and she has that nice duck down. We are good then too.

On the team's mindset after DaShawn Harden's injury …

“Well, I was glad that we found the balance. If you knew that we were going to be on the high there, but there was still a lot of time on the clock. They were going to make a run at us. I was so proud of our group having enough in them to make a run back at them. Sheila (Boykin), obviously, she and DaShawn are both seniors, they bring a lot of leadership to the team. You never want to see a teammate go down like that, and it was fairly scary. DaShawn is a tough kid, and I know that this team is going to play hard for her.”

LSU PLAYER QUOTES

GUARD DANIELLE BALLARD

On getting comfortable with being back…

“I feel great. If it wasn't for my teammates, I wouldn't have so many points. They contribute to a lot to the points that I make when they get me open and give me the ball. It feels great winning this game.”

On being back on the team and contributing in SEC play…

“It was tough not being out there, but I knew my team had it. We just fell short a couple of times, and we could have won some of those games. I was already ready, being a leader off the court and trying to cheer my team on. I knew once I get back, they would have my back no matter if I was playing good or bad. We are all playing as a team. We all hustle and do what it takes to win the game. That is the most important thing.”

On her game and if she feels back…

“I feel like I am back. I've been getting up some extra shots at practice. My teammates are pushing me at practice to get better. They are just preparing me for games like this. We are all getting better.”

FORWARD SHEILA BOYKIN

On what LSU did to weather the physical play of Kentucky…

“It was basically a take what the defensive gives you type of play on the offensive end today. For example, if I drive to the basket and someone stepped in to take a charge, which is what Kentucky is good at, we knew that we needed to take the extra pass. There was a lot of reading the defense today and adjusting to that.”

On the biggest factor to their success…

“Of course, Danielle (Ballard) being back is a big positive for this team But everyone is becoming more unselfish. Everyone is making the extra pass. When someone sets a good screen, we are pointing at them. It is all the little things that we are doing that are helping this team.”

On the team chemistry with Danielle back…

“Danielle is that aggressive offensive guard that we need. And especially on the defensive end, she makes things happen by getting on the boards. It makes other guards wanting to do the same thing and we are feeding off of that energy.”

Kentucky Head Coach Matthew Mitchell

On the impact of Danielle Ballard…

“She's a really tough player and just keeps her dribble alive and uses the ball screens really well. We didn't do a very good job on ball screen defense, and that's my fault. It's not the players' fault because we certainly didn't look like we knew what we were supposed to do in that. It was I think her ability to be tough and be patient and really good in the ball screen. I thought she shot the perimeter shot today. When we made a mistake in the ball screen, whether if we went underneath it, she would shoot behind the screen and knock down that shot. If we didn't help enough, she was able to get to the basket. (She's) just a tough player. When you're missing one of your best and most productive players, it's tough. I really have so much respect for LSU for hanging in. Nikki (Caldwell) just has a great program and does a great job. I think they're a really tough team, and I think Danielle's a big reason they are playing well.”

On the turnovers that hurt the team…

“We didn't value the ball very much today. We'll certainly have to do a better job with that as we try to grow and progress from this game. But that really hurt us today-our turnovers.”

On what happened after the team tied the game at 62-62…

“I made a mistake defensively there. That's all on me; that's 100 percent on me. We stayed in the press too long and didn't have the right personnel on the floor to be pressing. I think I got a little greedy there, and that's 100 percent my fault. (It was) the wrong defense to be in at the time. The kids fought hard and did a good job getting back so that's on me.”

On if this game will be a wake-up call for the post players offensively and defensively…

“We'll really try to seek constant improvement. We just have to fight for a positive attitude right now. Listen; whatever we can use it as is a wake-up call. I don't know if we're unclear on us needing to improve. I just think we're a team that's in need of improvement, and I realize that as a coach. I really need to do a good job here coaching moving forward.”