LSU forward Theresa Plaisance steps onto the court, eyes pacing, focused on the player she is guarding. But she is all alone with her defender, with no chance to receive help from her teammates.
This is life in the pit, and there is no way out.
“The Pit” drill is one of the focal points to nearly every LSU women’s basketball practice, and is primarily used to improve the team’s defensive skills. The drill has paid off, as LSU’s last three opponents have averaged 25 turnovers per game.
“The pit drill is really no excuses allowed, one-on-one D … it is just you, your man, and the ball,” Plaisance said. “You just have to dig deep and get three stops to get out.”
The drill consists of one player on defense and three members of the scout team on offense. The ball is rolled out to one of the players on offense, and the defender must get three stops to get out of “The Pit.” The stops must be clean, with no use of fouls or middle drives.
Plaisance said the drill has made the team better at their one-on-one defense and helped the team battle through fatigue in the final moments of games.
Head coach Nikki Caldwell brought the drill to the team after experiencing it as a player for legendary coach Pat Summitt at Tennessee from 1990-1994. During her career, the Lady Volunteers compiled a 118-13 record and won the 1991 National Championship.
Caldwell said the drill was an integral part to her development as a player.
“[The drill] was one of the more important drills that I learned because one-on-one defense is so important,” Caldwell said. “Holding yourself accountable for keeping someone from scoring is a mentality that we all must adopt.”
Caldwell said the drill also teaches the Lady Tigers how to properly rebound and box out their defenders. These skills were displayed in their win versus Indiana State on Tuesday, as the Sycamores failed to grab an offensive rebound in the first half.
As a player enters “The Pit,” teammates stand along the baseline, cheering on the player as she attempts to get a stop. Caldwell said the support each player receives develops good camaraderie with the team.
“Whoever is in the pit, they have full support from everyone else on the sideline,” Plaisance said. “When that player comes out, they’re getting high fives from everyone because we know how hard it is.”
The Lady Tigers became all too familiar with the drill after their 88-67 loss to Louisville on Nov. 14. Caldwell said the team played poorly on defending the dribble drive throughout the game, and thus the team saw the drill every practice the following week.
LSU has held opponents to less than 70 points in every game since the loss to the Cardinals.
Despite the difficulty of the drill, Caldwell said the Lady Tigers have appreciated the drill because of the character it has brought to the team.
“The most important thing is [the drill] has carried over a spirit for the team,” Caldwell said. “I like the fact that our team is along the sideline, cheering them on … They’re all about that team at that particular moment.”

Gallery • 3 Photos

Lauren Duhon

LSU senior forward Shanece McKinney practices a drill Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013 at the practice facility.