Only four games into the season, the LSU women’s basketball team’s identity is far from fully formed.
While the Lady Tigers (2-2) have been forcing turnovers at the rate of a Final Four team, they’ve also been missing shots at the rate of a middle school team.
The 35-shot advantage the defense has produced off those turnovers has largely gone to waste, considering LSU’s inefficient 34-percent shooting on the season. The Lady Tigers have also been far below average at the free throw line, making just 45 of 76 foul shots.
Despite the missed opportunities, LSU still managed to pick up its first two wins of the season at the Seton Hall Classic.
LSU also has a chance to pull above .500 when it faces Tulane tonight in the PMAC.
“Our players played awfully hard, and our defense was outstanding,” LSU coach Van Chancellor said of the Seton Hall Classic. “It reminded me of the old defensive teams we’ve had here. We’re still not shooting the ball well, but our kids are playing hard and trying to do everything we want done.”
Tulane is one year removed from taking LSU to overtime before finally tapping out. If last year’s scare has been forgotten, Tulane has served notice by rolling out to a 3-0 record this year, including a 62-42 dismantling of Mississippi State.
“This is the best Tulane team I’ve seen,” Chancellor said. “It’s going to be a challenge here for us [tonight], I guarantee you that.”
The Green Wave comes into the game with five scorers averaging at least 10 points. The high-octane offense will meet its foil in the Lady Tiger pressure defense, which is generating seven steals and six blocks per game.
Perhaps the biggest force behind the Lady Tigers’ swarming defense is junior forward Taylor Turnbow, who leads the team with 11 blocks in four games.
“I try to keep my hands up and not foul and pursue the ball,” Turnbow said. “If I get there, I block it.”
LSU could face even more offensive struggles of its own, as leading scorer sophomore guard Adrienne Webb sustained a cut near her eye during Monday’s practice. Though she continued to practice sporadically and trainers ruled out a concussion, overnight swelling may prevent her from playing against Tulane.
Ironically, players feel like the fix to their stagnant offense lies in their defense.
“Our whole defensive scheme is to make the other team struggle to run their offense,” said senior guard Katherine Graham.
Turnbow insisted that if the team keeps taking more shots than its opponents, the scoring will take care of itself as the season progresses.
“LSU has always been a defensive school, so if we keep playing hard defense, our offense will come,” Turnbow said.
 
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Contact Ryan Ginn at [email protected]