The LSU women’s basketball team started fall practice Tuesday, and will attempt to repeat its performance from last season when it advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
LSU returns three senior starters from last season, including senior forward Theresa Plaisance, who led the team in scoring with 17 points per game. LSU coach Nikki Caldwell said Plaisance put in hard work throughout the offseason to improve on her All-Southeastern Conference performance from 2012.
“It gives our team an anchor at the position. She led the SEC in scoring, and that was because of the hard work she put in, and this offseason she has worked extremely hard,” Caldwell said. “We are challenging her to be even better than she was last year, because the better she is, the better we are and the better chance it gives us to go even further than last season.”
Plaisance said scoring is only part of her game, and she relies on her teammates to put her in positions to succeed.
Senior guard Jeanne Kenney played a key role in setting up Plaisance on offense, as she led the team in assists, averaging 4.3 assists per game. Senior center Shanece McKinney will also return to the team after finishing second on the team in blocks last season.
The leadership Plaisance, McKinney, Kenney and 2013 third team Freshmen All-American Danielle Ballard bring will help the team throughout the season, Caldwell said.
“I like the fact that we have [Plaisance] and [Kenney] and [Ballard] coming back. They bring experience and leadership,” Caldwell said. “I also like the fact that [McKinney] came on down the stretch and became that player we could count on inside from an offensive standpoint.”
Lack of depth inside
The Lady Tigers only have three post players on their roster as they begin fall practice. With only Plaisance, McKinney and sophomore center Derreyal Youngblood manning the post, foul trouble could prove costly.
Both Plaisance and Youngblood were in the top five of Lady Tigers fouls per game last season.
“It’s definitely something that’s at the back of your mind,” Plaisance said. “Especially if you pick up an early foul, it’s just something you have to be conscious about.”
The Lady Tigers will play aggressively and will have to be smarter on the defensive side of the ball, McKinney said.
Up-tempo offense
The lack of depth inside and a surplus of quality guards will lead the Lady Tigers to play a more up-tempo offense this season, Caldwell said.
“Our guard play is going to have to be ready to go deep because we’re going to need to disrupt the basketball and defend [the full court],” Caldwell said. “We’re going to have to do things creatively in the backcourt so we’re not at the mercy of teams that may be strong in the post position.”
In addition to Kenney and Ballard, the Lady Tigers return sophomore guard Anne Pedersen, freshman guards Raigyne Moncrief, Jasmine Rhodes, Rina Hill and junior college transfer DaShawn Harden boost an already deep guard rotation.
Moncrief and Hill add elite speed and quickness, and the Lady Tigers will look to use those strengths to press teams on defense, Caldwell said.
“We’re going to push the ball at every opportunity, so we’re going to need players who can handle the basketball, so we’re not going to be as restricted in our ability to get the ball down the court,” Caldwell said. “Our foot speed is very good. Moncrief, Rhodes and Hill can all get out [on the break] quickly. Our team is going to be a lot quicker than what we have been in the past.”
Spain trip helps Tigers bond
Over the summer, the Lady Tigers took an exhibition trip to Spain, and the experience helped the team grow into a more cohesive unit, Caldwell said.
“This group of freshmen has come in and been so easy to work with,” Plaisance said. “The Spain trip really helped us grow as a team. We told them when they came in, they could come with us to anything.”
McKinney said the Lady Tigers have been doing more things off the court together than they have in the past, which has led to more team bonding.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Charlotte Willcox

Junior forward Sheila Boykin (left), freshman guard Raigyne Moncreif (middle), junior guard Akilah Bethel (right) and the Lady Tigers warm up for practice Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013 at the LSU Basketball Practice Facility.