Everybody loves a day at the beach.
The sand between your toes, the sun shining down on your back and the steady rush of water hitting the shore can create a relaxing environment for some and a fun-filled vacation for others.
But for the LSU women’s basketball team, a day spent at the beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, was far from a holiday.
The Lady Tigers, who have stumbled to an early 3-4 mark, saw their final two games of the Hardwood Tournament of Hope canceled due to scheduling conflicts.
Not wanting to see her team sitting idle for too long, LSU coach Nikki Caldwell separated her squad into pairs and put them through a grueling hourlong workout Friday morning that consisted of push-ups, sprinting, planks, up-downs and various other conditioning drills — all in the soft, cushiony sand.
It might not have been the beach day the Lady Tigers would’ve prefered, but LSU senior forward Sheila Boykin said it was the experience they needed.
“Everyone’s mindset, as far as competing, has changed,” Boykin said. “We’re really competing in practice and trying to get after it. I don’t know what it was about that Mexican water, but our mindset right now is completely different.”
For a team still searching for its identity and on-court chemistry, the cancellation of any games, no matter the opponent, could be a major setback to its growth. Since missing out on the intense competition of actual games, the rejuvenated Lady Tigers recently have turned it up in practice.
“Practice has been so intense because everybody is going at each other,” said sophomore guard Raigyne Moncrief. “We’re competing against each other to make each other better, so the practices have been hard and rough, but it’s good for us.”
What’s better for Moncrief and her teammates were the signs of efficient basketball play they showed in their lone game of the Mexican tournament against Santa Clara.
Despite ultimately losing the game 69-67, Caldwell said she was proud of the fight her team showed in rallying from an 11-point halftime deficit to come within seconds of stealing a much-needed victory.
“I saw a team rally from behind,” Caldwell said. “I saw a team not give up. Our defensive pressure really turned the game around, and we were in striking distance. If it’s less than two minutes in the game and you’re down one possession, to me, that game is anybody’s game.”
But Boykin didn’t share Caldwell’s optimistic outlook, especially because it was the Lady Tigers’ third consecutive loss.
“After the Santa Clara game, we reached that point of, ‘When is the losing enough?’” Boykin said. “Coach Caldwell was saying, ‘When are you guys going to get mad and hate losing?’ I’m a competitor. I hate losing in video games or playing tag with my cousin. I hate the fact of losing.”
You can reach David Gray on Twitter @dgray_TDR.