The LSU women’s basketball team will have to play without one of its leaders Sunday at No. 18 Vanderbilt. Sophomore guard Katherine Graham will be inactive after spraining her left knee midway through the second half of LSU’s 67-48 win Wednesday night against UNO.Team spokesman Bill Martin said Thursday an MRI on Graham’s knee was negative, and her status is day-to-day.The Birmingham, Ala., native started all 14 games this season, and she leads the Lady Tigers in rebounds with 83. She averages 5.9 rebounds per game, also a team-high.Graham is tied with junior guard Allison Hightower for the team lead in assists (41) and steals (24).The Lady Tigers bring a 2-0 Southeastern Conference record into the Vanderbilt contest, and young players have stepped up and contributed to the team’s three-game overall winning streak.Forward LaSondra Barrett, the SEC Freshman of the Week, has scored in double figures in four straight games, including a career-high 27 points Jan. 8 at Arkansas.Barrett also tied freshman forward Courtney Jones with a team-high eight rebounds against UNO.”I’m enjoying every moment, being 2-0 starting SEC play,” Barrett said. “We’re a young team, and we’re starting to come together and improve this season.”LSU (9-5, 2-0) is tied with Vanderbilt (13-4, 2-0) and Auburn for first place in the SEC and brings a 3-1 road record into the weekend. Vanderbilt is 9-1 at home. The Lady Tigers play three of their next four games on the road. LSU women’s basketball coach Van Chancellor said to have a chance to win the conference, the team has to win games on the road. He also emphasized the importance of mental focus.”We have to make up our mind we’re going to put out effort, believe in playing defense and do whatever we have to do to stop opponents,” Chancellor said. LSU has the No. 2 scoring defense in the nation behind Kansas State, allowing 50 points per game. Vanderbilt is No. 28 and allows 54.5 points per game.”Our defense is great,” Chancellor said. “[Associate head coach] Bob Starkey is a great defensive coach. He kind of runs our defense. We just put so much emphasis on it, and our kids are dedicated to it, committed to it, and that’s why we’re pretty good.”While LSU is enjoying success on the defensive side of the ball, they are struggling in one particular offensive area.The Lady Tigers have made only one 3-point field goal in their last two games, going 0-for-8 at Alabama and 1-for-4 against UNO. Junior guard Andrea Kelly made the lone 3-pointer Wednesday.”We have to be a better 3-point shooting team,” Chancellor said. “I’m in charge of that, so that obviously isn’t going too good right now. But we’ll get better. We have to find some way to make a 3-ball.”Hightower said while shooting 3-pointers is important, the team has been working on other ways to dominate the offensive end.”We would like to make some more 3s, but it’s not really a big concern,” Hightower said. “We have a lot of threats who can get the ball in the paint. We can shoot mid-range jumpers, and I think that’s what our team is about this year.”——Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]