Every practice, a group of men transforms into the LSU women’s basketball team’s next opponent.
They are the women’s basketball team’s scout team, also known as the “Gold Guys,” whose sole purpose is to make the Lady Tigers better.
The coaching staff watches film on its next competitor, learns its characteristics and the 12 or 13 Gold Guys embody those traits in each practice before the game.
“They give us a chance to practice the way we need to play,” said LSU coach Nikki Caldwell. “It’s not always realistic, but it is a tougher situation when you go against guys than when you go against girls.”
When becoming LSU’s opponent, the Gold Guys also become NCAA athletes. They must take the physicals, follow the compliance rules and keep a 2.0 GPA – all without receiving the scholarships.
Architecture junior Antonio Robinson played college basketball at McPherson College before coming to LSU, where graduate manager Darian Riley recruited him to the scout team. Robinson expected a much more hands-off role on the team, but has gotten used to his duty of playing the women as hard as possible.
“Sometimes you don’t want to be over-aggressive with girls,” Robinson said. “But they want you to.”
The main consensus is the Gold Guys make the women stronger, faster and ready to compete against any other female when the time comes.
“They should be able to beat anybody on any given day because of the players they play against [in practice],” Robinson said. “We make them better, make them quicker, make them faster and make them think more. Then once they play against a woman it’s easier … now it’s a weaker or slower defender so it’s just one step ahead.”
Riley was a Gold Guy for four years and joined the team after getting cut from the second round of LSU men’s basketball tryouts. Riley now organizes and recruits the Gold Guys, finding most of the athletes at the University Student Recreational Complex. If a man has the talent, the free time during practice hours and the interest, Riley will ask him to join the program.
Junior guard Jeanne Kenney’s assist-to-turnover ratio improvement is evidence of the scout team’s contribution to the women’s basketball team. Kenney’s ratio is now the best in the Southeastern Conference, which she credits to the Gold Guys.
“We have great Gold Guys, who are a bit much sometimes,” Kenney said during “The Nikki Caldwell Show.” “If you cannot turn the ball over against them, there’s not a girl in the country that can guard you.”
