After the first official LSU women’s basketball practice under new coach Nikki Caldwell, one word was continuously used to describe the young coach’s style — fast.
Like a broken record, the players spoke of Caldwell’s up-tempo, speedy and aggressive approach to the game with smiles of anticipation glued to their faces.
After several eager weeks of practice and preparation, the No. 21 Lady Tigers finally got to put that speed on display last Wednesday in their 102-42 rout of Xavier University of Louisiana in a season-opening exhibition match.
It didn’t disappoint.
All 11 Lady Tigers scored in the game, and four broke the double-digit mark — a feat senior forward LaSondra Barrett credited to the new quicker pace.
“The tempo is a lot faster,” Barrett said. “When you work on [the tempo] and how transitioning and spacing is a lot better, you get better shots and you get better ball movement. I think that’s the key to getting easy