In its first game against outside competition, the LSU women’s basketball team displayed to the PMAC crowd why the pollsters ranked it third in country in the preseason poll.
In their 113-60 blowout of the Basketball Travelers from the Czech Republic, the Lady Tigers used a suffocating full-court press to force 37 turnovers while keeping fresh players on the court the entire game.
“I thought all things being said we did pretty much what we wanted to do,” said LSU coach Sue Gunter. “Our press looked well. In fact, it looked better than it has looked in practice.”
The depth of the Lady Tigers was evident throughout the game as nine players had at least 15 minutes of playing time. And they outmatched the Basketball Travelers with their depth and talent.
Last season, LSU had a limited stable of players because of season-ending injuries to Kisha James and DeTrina White, and that caused the players to become fatigued during each game.
But with James and White back on the court and the addition of last season’s National High School Player of the Year, Seimone Augustus, that does not seem to be a problem.
“When I saw Kisha James come in with her uniform on, and I saw [White] come walking in with her uniform on tonight, I can’t tell you how that felt for me,” Gunter said. “I don’t know how it must have felt for them. But to see those two kids, who have been through so much, come through, it was special.”
Gunter believes the Lady Tigers have 10 players on this year’s team who could start for any team in the country.
“I want it to be where there is absolutely no difference when we [substitute players],” Gunter said. “I don’t think we should drop a step when we substitute. And I think the players feel the same way. These kids have great pride in the depth.”
With so many talented players, one would think that Gunter would have problems getting each of them enough playing time, but she said that will not be a problem with this team.
“And I think you’ll see different starting lineups,” Gunter said. “I don’t think there’s anything that’s going to be etched in stone. I think we have a common goal and it’s going to take all of us to reach it.”
Augustus displayed the talents that marked her as the best in the nation last year. Early in the first half, Augustus showed the LSU fans part of her worldclass ability as she stole the ball and dribbled coast to coast, bouncing it through her legs and around her back at full speed on her way to the basket for two of her game-high 18 points.
“It was exciting,” Augustus said of her first game in a Tigers uniform. “I was kind of nervous at first. But I mean, you have to get over that and play the game. It was fun. I really don’t know what to say.”
The Lady Tigers return to action Thursday for their last exhibition game against the Houston Jaguars at 7 p.m. in the PMAC.