Looking at the Lady Tigers’ schedule up to this point, it does not take an expert statistician to deduce that they are more successful at home than on the road.
LSU has a 10-1 home record, 2-6 road record, 75.4 points per game in the PMAC compared to the 66.1 average in opponents’ venues, better rebounding and fewer turnovers at home — the list of statistics supporting this idea is seemingly endless.
The Lady Tigers have been winless on the road since Nov. 25 when they defeated Florida International to win the Florida International Thanksgiving Classic.
LSU junior forward Theresa Plaisance credited the home crowd after LSU’s come-from-behind victory against Vanderbilt on Sunday.
“Having this home-court advantage is so great because we have such an amazing crowd to keep us in the game,” Plaisance said. “In those momentum swings, we have that extra effort coming from the crowd, giving us that extra energy.”
But for every game when a team gets to play the hero in its own house, it has to play antagonist in a venue far from home in front of a hostile crowd — and that is where the Lady Tigers seem to run into trouble.
“In your psyche it’s a huge factor,” said LSU junior guard Jeanne Kenney about playing on the road. “It’s a different environment and sometimes it can make you feel uncomfortable.”
But is the location of the game making that big of an impact, or is another factor at play?
A closer look reveals that while venue may play a factor, the opponents in these venues may make the biggest impact.
The 11 opponents LSU has played in the PMAC have a combined overall record of 84-105 (.444 winning percentage) this season, and only three of them have winning records.
This trend bleeds into Southeastern Conference play as well. The three SEC teams LSU has beaten at home this season have thus far combined for a conference record of 3-12.
On the contrary, LSU has played eight teams on the road that combine for a 104-44 (.703 winning percentage) overall record, all of which have winning records. Three of these teams were in the Top 25 at the time they played LSU.
If the Lady Tigers want to compete for an SEC Championship, they will have to put an end to this pattern and find consistency.
“We have to be a team that plays through adversity,” said LSU coach Nikki Caldwell. “We are turning a corner.”
The trend of facing tough opponents on the road will continue Sunday when the Lady Tigers travel to Lexington, Ky., to take on the No. 5 Wildcats.
So how does LSU get past this roadblock and pull off a long-awaited road win?
“When you’re prepared, you’re confident,” Kenney said.
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“In your psyche it’s a huge factor. It’s a different environment and sometimes it can make you feel uncomfortable.”
