With 5:49 left in LSU’s 80-77 victory against Tennessee on Jan. 2, freshman guard Raigyne Moncrief stole the ball from Tennessee’s Cierra Burdick, leading to a 3-pointer by junior guard DaShawn Harden.
It was the Lady Tigers’ third forced turnover in a little more than four minutes, and all three were part of a 20-4 run that proved crucial in LSU’s victory. A grin came to senior forward Theresa Plaisance’s face as she relived that run and the turnovers that helped create it.
“You’ll notice in our games that when our defense picks up, then our offense picks up,” Plaisance said. “That correlates directly from getting stops, and mainly getting those turnovers …momentum swings are huge when it comes to getting that turnover.”
Forcing turnovers has become one of the Lady Tigers’ greatest assets as they move further into a challenging Southeastern Conference schedule. LSU’s opponents are averaging 19.75 turnovers per game, and when the Lady Tigers force more than that average, good things tend to happen.
In games LSU forced 20 turnovers or less, it is 8-4 and has an average scoring margin of 4 points. In games LSU forced more than 20 turnovers, the Lady Tigers are 8-0 and have an average scoring margin of 18.5 points.
The key to LSU’s success has been through practice. Plaisance said coach Nikki Caldwell constantly instructs the team to try to get deflections and disrupt the opponents’ passing lanes.
Caldwell said that these discussions in practice lead to more turnovers and the chance for points in transition.
“We talk about how when we extend our defense we want to either look to trap or delay and disrupt them, try to get a ten second call if we can,” Caldwell said. “…but I like that Danielle Ballard and Raigyne Moncrief can get their hands on some basketballs and lead to some transition points.”
A major part of LSU’s success comes through their ability to steal the ball, averaging 9.4 per game. Moncrief, Harden and Ballard are the main factors, with each of them averaging at least 1.5 swipes per game.
In her freshman season, Ballard became the first player in LSU history to record at least 100 steals in one season. She said there is a certain technique to her talents, and it is all about attention to detail.
“I look at the player with the ball, her eyes tells me everything: what she’s going to do and what direction she’s going to go,” Ballard said. “I read based off her and I time it up perfectly because I know when she is going to throw it.”
LSU’s next two opponents, Mississippi State and Kentucky, both commit fewer than 16.5 turnovers per game. In six of the Lady Tigers first seven SEC games, however, opponents have committed more turnovers than what they averaged coming into the game.
Caldwell has said throughout the season that their defensive scheme will be the key to success in the SEC. Forcing turnovers will be important not only in the conference, she said, but in the NCAA tournament as well.
“[Turnovers] throw off the rhythm of the offensive team,” Caldwell said. “ … So we definitely want to disrupt our opponent and one way to do that is by turning them over.”