LSU junior forward Ann Jones had one goal for the Lady Tigers’ contest against Jackson State University on Monday. 
On a team that plays four guards in its starting five, the 6-foot-3 Jones’ agenda was simple:  Crash the boards. 
“I just wanted to step up and do the things the team needed me to do, which was rebound,” Jones said. “That’s what was my focus for [Monday], to clean the boards for the team.”
But Jones did more than gobble up rebounds.  
In a game that was much tighter than expected, the University of Memphis transfer turned in the most well-rounded performance of her short LSU career and was the key ingredient in the Lady Tigers’ 52-44 overtime victory. 
On a night when LSU shot a season-low 32.6 percent from the field, Jones provided the team with its only semblance of efficient basketball. The Tennessee native led the Lady Tigers with a season-high 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field. 
The rest of LSU’s starters shot a combined 10-for-31. 
But the majority of Jones’ buckets resulted from her domination on the boards. Nine of her career-high 14 rebounds came on the offensive board, and those extra possessions led to Jones pouring in 10 of the Lady Tigers’ 19 second-chance points. 
Though Jones’ career night was an outcome of her crashing the glass, LSU coach Nikki Caldwell said she’s seen her new starting forward evolve into a more complete basketball player. 
“I’ve seen [Jones] step outside her comfort zone and really try to extend her offensive skills,” Caldwell said. “Whether it’s handling 20 feet from the basket, something she wasn’t accustomed to, or starting our break, something that she’s becoming better at, she brings a different versatility to our team that really complements our guard play.” 
Sitting out all of the 2013-14 season gave Jones ample time to hone those new-found skills. 
Due to NCAA rules, Jones was required to sit out her first year with LSU after she transferred from the University of Memphis following the 2012-13 season, but Jones said she was grateful for the extra time to develop her game. 
“Of course sitting out was challenging at times,” Jones said. “But it gave me an opportunity to practice a whole year and get better and learn the system here at LSU.”
Jones also got a heavy dose of Theresa Plaisance and Shanece McKinney, the Lady Tigers’ starting frontcourt players last season who have since moved on to the WNBA. 
Jones said banging bodies down low against the likes of Plaisance and McKinney — who stand at 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-4, respectively — everyday in practice forced her to develop other areas of her game. 
“The fact that both [Plaisance and McKinney] are huge and tall players, I had to kind of finesse my play a little bit,” Jones said. “I learned to do a little hook shot to pull them out of their comfort zone on defense. It was challenging, but it was a great challenge.”
But Caldwell said Jones can be utilized in the same way as the two players she squared off against each day in practice last season. 
Jones didn’t need her extra finesse against Jackson State as all 12 of her points came in the paint. 
As well as she performed Monday night, Jones said she must continue to produce. 
“I can’t just come in and turn it on when I want to,” Jones said. “It has to be a consistent thing. With the help of my teammates, I believe we all can do it together.” 
You can reach David Gray on Twitter @dgray_TDR.