Throughout the season, the point guard position for the LSU women’s basketball team has been a revolving door filled with expectation and pressure. 
The responsibility of filling the hole left by former guard Jeanne Kenney has proven difficult. It’s required the rotation of senior guard DaShawn Harden, junior guard Danielle Ballard and sophomore guards Rina Hill and Raigyne
Moncrief.
“We’re going to have to share that responsibility of running the basketball team,” said LSU coach Nikki Caldwell. “[Harden, Hill and Moncrief have] only been in our system for a year and a half. Even though DaShawn is a senior by eligibility standards, by our standards in our system, she’s in her sophomore year. I’ve got three sophomores really taking over that responsibility and not just hoisting that on one person’s shoulders.”
Despite the shared responsibility, the rotation has struggled to command the offense like Kenney did a year ago until the return of Ballard. The junior’s presence took pressure off Harden and Moncrief to be the main ball-handlers in late-game situations. 
Last season, Kenney and former forward Theresa
Plaisance would step up in big games situations and take over. The lack of a definitive offensive threat cost the Lady Tigers in multiple games when Ballard was suspended. 
Against then-No. 1 South Carolina on Jan. 4, the Lady Tigers managed to put only 51 points on the board, their second worst mark in Southeastern Conference play. Hill, Moncrief and Harden combined for 21 points, one assist and six turnovers. 
Since Ballard’s return against Vanderbilt on Jan. 8, her ability to take over in pressure situations led the Lady Tigers to two-straight wins against ranked
opponents. 
 Against then-No. 15 Mississippi State last Thursday, Ballard became the Lady Tigers go-to scorer, scoring all of the team’s eight points in overtime. Ballard pushed the game into double overtime with a 3-pointer with  three seconds remaining and sealed the game with a jumper with 56 seconds remaining in the period.
 “There is a lot [of] pressure released knowing that you have another scorer and another good player that’s there,” Moncrief said. “[Harden and Hill] before Danielle Ballard tried to release a lot of that pressure, but it is great having Danielle back. It’s just great.” 
Before Ballard’s return, Harden and Moncrief carried the burden offensively and combined for an average of 22.3 points and four assists per game.
With Ballard, the rotation averages a combined 25.3 points, 5.8 assists and nine turnovers per game. The addition of Ballard to the rotation has added a dynamic scorer, allowing Hill, Moncrief and Harden to settle into their strengths. 
Harden came into her senior year shooting 27.8 percent from the 3-point line. This season, she has developed into one of the team’s best 3-point shooters, shooting 32.5 percent from 3-point range. 
Moncrief has become a more consistent rebounder, averaging 6.9 boards per game after tallying only 5.1 per game last season. Hill has earned a starting spot for 14-of-18 games, which outnumbers her appearances last season. 
“Rina starts at point [guard], and we rotate. Then I go give her a break,” Moncrief said. “We go back and forth. It happens the same way in  practice. Even Danielle Ballard is playing the point too. It’s been good, actually. I think we are giving each other a break. It’s great that we have Danielle Ballard in because she gives us a break too.” 
You can reach Morgan Prewitt on Twitter @kmprewitt_TDR.