LSU’s cupboards were perfectly stocked for a delectably successful recipe during its 10-game winning streak in December and early January, but it might need to hit the market for some fresh ingredients after losing three consecutive games.
The Lady Tigers (13-6) should have an opportunity for reprieve tonight when they travel to Johnson City, Tenn., to face woebegone Eastern Tennessee State, who comes into the contest with a 5-14 record.
But LSU will have to find a different formula for victory, as the Lady Tigers will again be without starting guards Destini Hughes and Jeanne Kenney, who both missed Sunday’s 72-52 loss to Arkansas because of injuries.
Hughes is done for the season after tearing ligaments and a meniscus in her right knee in LSU’s 65-56 loss to Tennessee on Thursday, and Kenney isn’t slated to return until the Lady Tigers travel to Nashville to face Vanderbilt on Sunday.
Without the starters and reserve guard Bianca Lutley, who was suspended for the first half of the Arkansas game for violating team rules, the Lady Tigers struggled against Arkansas with a lineup that consisted of four forwards.
With only one guard on the roster to start the game, LSU had to rely on junior guard Adrienne Webb and senior forward LaSondra Barrett to handle the ball. The results weren’t pretty.
The Lady Tigers’ assist-to-turnover ratio was a poor 11:27 for the game, limiting the effectiveness of their relatively hot 45.7-percent shooting touch from the field.
The problem with turnovers has been a persisting one for LSU this season, and it was exacerbated by the lack of ball handlers.
LSU coach Nikki Caldwell expects the Lady Bucs to focus on forcing turnovers tonight.
“If I’m [East Tennessee State] and I’m watching [the Arkansas game], I’m definitely looking to extend my defense and really press up on us,” Caldwell said. “I know that offensively we were very disruptive. I feel like we’re a team that’s better than what we showed, even though we didn’t have people in the right position to start.”
On paper, the Lady Tigers look like they shouldn’t have a problem. But Caldwell and her players insisted they won’t overlook East Tennessee State because of its poor record, especially in the wake of LSU’s three-game skid.
“We just have to … bring the effort and the 100 percent that we brought against Tennessee and the big teams that we’ve played,” said senior forward Courtney Jones.
The Lady Tigers have been consistently inconsistent this season.
After getting off to a slow 3-3 start, LSU reeled off 10 consecutive victories, outscoring the opposition by 23.6 points per game in the process.
But LSU started to cool at an inopportune time, dropping three consecutive games to conference foes Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas.
During the losing streak, the turnover problem has again reared its ugly head to stymie the LSU offensive attack, and the staunch LSU defense that typified the win streak has gotten less tenacious.
LSU had a negative turnover differential in all three losses and allowed opponents to score an average of 66 points per game. In its 10-game winning streak — against some prolific offenses — the Lady Tigers kept every opponent under 56 points.
Now, Caldwell is going to have to find some answers to right the ship if LSU wants to represent Baton Rouge when the PMAC hosts the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament in March.
“I do feel like this team has the potential to rebound, and we will rebound from it,” Caldwell said. “But this would be us learning that no matter who we play, it doesn’t matter what position you’re in, you’ve got to be a competitor.”
 
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Contact Luke Johnson at [email protected]