The LSU Lady Tigers got back in the win column Saturday at Rice, 73-51. But the victory was bittersweet for LSU.
Freshman Khalilah Mitchell, a key contributor off the bench for the Lady Tigers, landed awkwardly after a layup attempt. Mitchell underwent an MRI today to determine the extent of the injury.
Coach Sue Gunter expressed her concern over the seriousness of Mitchell’s injury and said it looks to be an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
“It affects us a lot, because Khalilah was one of the first ones coming off the bench,” Gunter said. “She can back up Temeka at the one [and] she can back up [Doneeka Hodges] at the two. It really makes a difference, but it goes back to this is an opportunity for someone else to step up.”
Without Mitchell’s contribution from the bench, the Lady Tigers still were able to dominate Rice on both ends of the court.
Seimone Augustus led the Lady Tigers in the contest with 21 points. She scored 14 in the first half to give LSU a 36-22 halftime lead.
LSU finished the first half on a 20-6 run to pull away from the Owls. The Lady Tigers’ defense held Rice to 30.9 percent shooting from the field in the game and forced 27 turnovers.
Temeka Johnson recorded 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the win. Johnson said the victory is a step in the right direction for the Lady Tigers.
“I think we got back on the right track,” Johnson said. “I still think that we have a ways to go. I think we’ll have to take it game-by-game. We are not in a position to overlook anybody from here on out. I think that game helped boost up a lot of people’s confidence.”
Gunter agreed with Johnson and said the bright spot for the Lady Tigers so far this season is the performance of the younger players on the team.
“Some of our younger players that we have anticipated coming off the bench have gotten an awful lot of playing time against really good teams,” Gunter said. “I think that’s really going to benefit us down the road when we do get into [Southeastern Conference] play.”
Gunter said sophomore center Treynell Clavelle is one of those players who broke through against Rice. Clavelle scored a career-high nine points and added five rebounds against Rice.
“Treynell can really help us,” Gunter said. “She’s got the size that we need. She needed the opportunity, number one, and she needed to take advantage of her opportunity. She did both.”
The victory concluded a four-game road trip for the Lady Tigers. LSU finished the road trip 2-2.
LSU welcomes No. 15 Rutgers to the PMAC tonight at 7 p.m. for the Lady Tigers’ home opener.
In a press release on Monday, the LSU Athletics Department announced it will give LSU students the opportunity to win front row tickets to the SEC Championship game on Saturday between LSU and Georgia in Atlanta.
A panel of judges, led by Athletics Director Skip Bertman, will select fans during halftime to win the tickets. There are 18 tickets available.
Rutgers is led by junior guard Cappie Pondexter. Johnson and Augustus played with Pondexter last summer and the Lady Tigers paid special attention in practice to guarding her in tonight’s contest.
“Cappie is a very good player,” Johnson said. “She has a presence about herself – the way she carries herself, the way she plays. You don’t have any other choice but to respect her game.”
Pondexter averages 16.2 points and 3.4 assists per game. In practice Monday, Gunter used a player with a red jersey to signify Pondexter’s presence and lobbied the Lady Tigers to pay special attention to where the red jersey was on the floor at all times.
“She’s just a terrific player,” Gunter said. “I think the thing you have to do is try to at least contain her to some extent. You’ve got to know where she is all the time. We don’t have anybody that can guard her, so it’s going to have everybody to try to step to help, and not let her have the shots she wants to take.”
Johnson said it feels like forever since the Lady Tigers played in the friendly confines of the PMAC.
“I’m excited to be back home,” Johnson said. “It’s our first home opener. I’m pretty sure everybody will be excited and won’t want to disappoint the fans.”