When one of the best players in women’s college basketball decided to enter the transfer portal and team up with the defending national champions, one would assume that the combination would be unstoppable.
However, that has not been the case at times for LSU guard Hailey Van Lith. The senior from Wenatchee, Washington, started her collegiate career at Louisville where she averaged 15 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal per game in three years.
Her success led her to multiple tournament bids including a Final Four appearance for the 2021-22 season. This also led to her being in the top 10 in many WNBA mock drafts
With eligibility remaining she decided to take her talents to Baton Rouge to team up with Angel Reese and LSU. Going into the season, a lot of people had high expectations not just for LSU, but also for Van Lith.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride, to say the least as LSU lost its first game of the season by 14 to Colorado, but now ranks No. 9 in the country. As for Van Lith, she’s had to adjust her play style ever since transferring.
At Louisville, she led the team in scoring with 19 points per game, but this season for the Tigers she is fifth on the team averaging roughly 12 points per game.
She’s been playing a more traditional point guard role trying to distribute the ball and run the offense. Head coach Kim Mulkey has sympathized with Van Lith on how hard it is for her to transition into a new position after playing her old one.
“I don’t ever think it’s fair to ask a player to play more than one position,” Mulkey said. “And yet we are asking her to play a new position and then in the middle of a game, go over here and play your old position.”
These are some of the hardships that Van Lith has had to play with so far this season, yet she continues to fight through adversity. On Sunday, Van Lith went for her season-high against the Tennessee Volunteers, scoring 26 points with seven rebounds and three assists.
Not only did she achieve her season-high, but she did it efficiently as well, shooting 50% from the field and 80% from three. It was almost like a sigh of relief coming from not just Van Lith, but also LSU.
Everyone knows how talented she is, but with the number of options that the Tigers have, it’s easy to fall in the background. She needed this game to propel herself in the right direction and continue to boost her confidence.
She always plays with great energy on both ends of the floor but has been struggling recently. However, with that performance against a tough Tennessee team on the road, it could be a big step for her in the right direction.
As for the Tigers, it still feels like this team hasn’t reached its full potential yet. This team has a lot of talent, especially with the starting five.
After Van Lith’s big game, LSU is hoping her success continues and goes back to that player who can give you 15 to 20 points per night. Tournament time is just around the corner, if there was any other time for Van Lith to come alive, now is the time.
