If you listened closely Sunday, you could hear a collective gasp over the entire state of Louisiana when LSU forward Seimone Augustus went down with an ankle injury against Mississippi State and was on television writhing in pain on the court.
Fortunately Augustus, the talented freshman from Capitol High School in Baton Rouge, only suffered a turned ankle. LSU head coach Sue Gunter said the ankle was the same one Augustus turned earlier this season and in high school and that Augustus would be ready to play against Alabama on Thursday.
That’s good news for LSU (20-1, 8-1 Southeastern Conference) because Augustus has been a centerpiece in LSU’s record-breaking season and has lived up to her billing as the nation’s top recruit with her stellar performance on the court. In 21 games, Augustus is averaging 15.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and shooting 57 percent from the field.
What the stats don’t say about Augustus are the intangibles she brings to an already deep, talented team that is ranked No. 4 in the nation. She has started every game this season and has fit right into an offense not fully geared toward her superior shooting and ball-handling skills.
Having a rock-solid baseline jump shot and the ability to create her own shot is only one part of her repertoire. Augustus also has an unselfish attitude — a quality few players possess in today’s basketball age and one that likely will get LSU deep into the NCAA tournament, if not a national championship.
Augustus routinely passes up open shots in favor of getting her teammates a look at the basket and typically does it without saying a word. She’s quiet and often soft-spoken after games, and though she is not used to all the media attention, her play surely has warranted the limelight.
Since center DeTrina White went down with a broken foot, Augustus has stepped up her game tremendously, leading the Lady Tigers in scoring against Top 25 and SEC opponents. She poured in 24 points and a career-high 19 rebounds against No. 18 Georgia, which is currently third in the SEC, scored 21 points against No. 18 Vandy and added 26 points against No. 15 South Carolina.
It is rare for one player to have such a sudden and dramatic impact on a team, but Augustus clearly has been the difference maker for the Tigers, and she has the ability take LSU to the next level of competition.
With plenty of games left to go in her freshman year, it’s going to be fun to see if Seimone Augustus can continue her terrific performance and help the Lady Tigers reach the pinnacle of college basketball.