LSU women’s basketball coach Nikki Fargas spoke with some of the media before practice Tuesday afternoon about what she expects and what fans can expect to see in the 2018-19 season.
Following an early exit from the NCAA Tournament last season, the Lady Tigers have been focused on being a more complete team offensively and defensively.
After losing two of its biggest offensive threats in Chloe Jackson and Raigyne Louis, LSU hopes to make up for it with some of the new players and by developing the returning players’ offensive games.
All-Around Team
Fargas has set high goals for her team this season in order to improve after losing two weapons.
“When you lose two of your top scorers, players on the perimeter in particular, other players have to step up,” Fargas said.
The entire post game is returning, and although the Tigers were good enough to finish fourth in the SEC, she wants them to elevate that to another level in order to compensate for some of the scoring they lost.
Fargas has high praise for Ayana Mitchell, the leading returning player this season.
“Mitchell’s going to be one of the best players not only in our league, but in the country,” Fargas said. “She’s a very mobile big. She can play away from the basket. Her defense and her board play, she hangs her hat on that. She’s one of the best offensive rebounders we have had in this program. She is someone who has worked and developed her outside shooting and her range, and we are just going to continue to add layers to her game.”
The Tigers have improved their perimeter shooting, something that will elevate the Lady Tigers’ offensive play.
“We made about three or four threes a game last season,” Fargas said. “Our opponents made five. I would like to get that number up to six or seven.”
She noted that not only have the returning players improved their shooting, but the transfers have also brought range. She has post players working on shooting. The improvement was noticeable during the shooting drills in practice.
“All of my guards can effectively knock down the three ball, but we are looking to extend from our post game,” Fargas said.
LSU has always had a great transition game, but Coach Fargas wants them to do more. She wants them to be more efficient in the half court setting offensively. LSU needs to be more aggressive defensively — forcing turnovers, crashing boards, and scoring on those opportunities.
“We won’t be running the basketball if we don’t have the basketball,” Fargas said.
Culture
Some of the team’s keys to success are being a family. They have meshed well in the off-season and gotten to know each other.
“When you have a team that has a nucleus that is returning, their responsibility is to put their arms around the first-years,” Fargas said.
At practice, it was hard to point out a single leader on the team because throughout practice everyone was very loud and verbally motivating each other. They held one another accountable. No one was quiet. It seems to be a team of leaders that aim to push one another to the top.
And Fargas has three rules on and off the court.
“Protect the team, no whining and no complaining, and be early.”
Home Court Advantage
LSU played some of the country’s top teams at home and only lost one game. Fargas acknowledges what makes LSU a hard place to play for visiting teams.
She said that athletes come to LSU to win. Fargas wants to bottle that competitiveness up and bring it to other stadiums this season to improve their away record, which was 7-6 last season.
“You come in here and there’s Mike the Tiger sitting right out in front of your facility,” Fargas said. “It’s that feeling of ‘We are in the den. He’s out there.’ Losing is tabooed here.”
