ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (Ticker) -- Marie Ferdinand picked up where she left off last season, scoring 19 points to lead ninth-ranked Louisiana State to a 54-49 victory over New Mexico in the first round of the Women's Sports Foundation Classic.

Ferdinand, the Tigers' leading scorer last season at 17.5 points per game, also blocked two shots and had two steals. She leads a team that lost just one starter from the team that reached the East Region final of the Women's NCAA Tournament last year.

April Brown added nine points for LSU (1-0), which advanced to a meeting with Duke in the tournament final, a rematch of last year's East Regional semifinal, which the Tigers won, 79-66.

Molly McKinnon scored 16 points for the Lobos (0-1), who had no other player in double figures. Jordan Adams finished with nine and eight rebounds, and Miranda Sanchez added seven.

Roneeka Hodges had nine points and her sister Doneeka added six.

Ferdinand, who led the Southeast Conference in steals last season and is considered one of the top shooting guards in the nation, scored her 1,000th point and now has 1,013 in her career.