What do LSU women’s basketball coach Van Chancellor and Ricky Bobby have in common?
They both want to go fast.
The addition of long-range shooters to the team’s roster has given Chancellor the need for speed and the desire for his team to shoot more 3-pointers, gain more possessions and pick up the tempo offensively.
The change in philosophy is a far cry from the approach that has been successful for the Lady Tigers in recent years. LSU has finished in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense since the 2004-05 season, including Chancellor’s first three seasons as head coach.
Chancellor said there’s “no question” the Lady Tigers will continue their defensive prowess this season, but he also wants to utilize his personnel in the most effective manner — a style that will likely be much easier on the eyes of LSU fans.
“This is a team that our fans are really going to enjoy watching play,” Chancellor said. “We are going to be running a little bit more. We have been a team that has not shot a lot of threes here because we couldn’t make a lot of them. Right now we have better shooters than we have ever had.”
Junior forward and returning leading scorer LaSondra Barrett said the team has dedicated itself to improving offensively during the offseason, making the most of its time on the practice court and in the weight room.
“Our point guards are pushing the ball more this year,” Barrett said. “The rest of us have been working on our 3-point game. In transition we’re going to push more so that it will be easier to get a bucket instead of working so hard in the half court.”
Chancellor expects a significant offensive contribution from senior guard Andrea Kelly, who returns for her final season after missing all of last season with a stress fracture in her foot.
Kelly led the Tigers in three point shooting in 2008-09 as the team’s top bench player, finishing the season with 34 three pointers. She finished the season shooting 40.5 percent from beyond the arc, the eighth highest percentage in single-season school history.
“She is instant offense,” Chancellor said. “I think she is a zone buster. I think she can come into the game and just shoot. She has an unbelievable shot.”
Freshman guard Jeanne Kenney may also provide the spark that can light up the Lady Tigers’ offense. The 5-foot-8-inch Baton Rouge native and St. Michael High School product was rated the No. 31 overall player in the class of 2010 by ESPN’s HoopGurlz.com. She earned Class 4A All-State honors twice while leading St. Michael to back-to-back Class 4A state championships as a sophomore and junior.
“Coming in my role is to shoot,” Kenney said. “I’m going to shoot the ball every time I get a chance. I can shoot from the arc, and I have range.”
The Lady Tigers ranked 68th nationally in scoring offense last season, averaging 68.5 points per game. LSU also struggled with its offensive efficiency, ranking in the bottom half of the Southeastern Conference in field goal percentage and 3-point shooting percentage. The Lady Tigers only made 121 three pointers last season, which tied them with Auburn for last in the SEC.
But Chancellor expects a big change this season.
“Trying to score the last two years has been difficult,” Chancellor said. “We were boring and dull. Now, I like the fact that we can score and get up and down the court.”
 
 
 
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Contact Cory Boudreaux at [email protected]