The No. 1-ranked LSU women’s basketball team will look to earn their 11th straight victory tonight when the Lady Tigers take on Kentucky in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
LSU (21-1, 10-0 Southeastern Conference) is coming off a 66-36 win last Sunday at South Carolina. The Lady Tigers held the Lady Gamecocks to just 31.3 percent shooting, and coach Pokey Chatman said defense will be a key in tonight’s game as well.
“We have to bring the same defensive presence that we’ve brought most of the year,” Chatman said. “We can’t have any lapses because they’re a team that, if you have a breakdown, they’ll punish you.”
Kentucky (14-11, 3-7 SEC) is coming in with a three-game losing streak, having lost six of the last seven.
While the Lady Wildcats are near the bottom of the SEC standings, ranked only ahead of winless South Carolina, Kentucky brings with it a strong shooting squad. Kentucky currently ranks No. 3 in the SEC in field goal percentage (.442) and No. 2 in 3-point field goal percentage (.360).
“The last time I checked, three is more than two,” Chatman said. “So we can’t have a breakdown there.”
The Lady Tigers escaped with a win at Kentucky last season, sneaking by the Lady Wildcats 70-69 after coming back from a 12-point deficit and winning in the final seconds.
Chatman said the Lady Tigers will need to do the little things to come out with a win.
“They were successful against us last year,” Chatman said. “We have to make that adjustment in transition, as well as being able to get through screens and help each other out.”
LSU is led by junior Seimone Augustus, averaging 20.1 points per game. Augustus will be going for her 51st consecutive game in which she scores in double figures.
Senior Temeka Johnson, averaging 6.9 assists per game, said strong execution will prove important.
“Our defensive and offensive execution has to get better,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t just start with the next game, but at the beginning of the season and we’ve kind of gotten away from that.”
Senior guard Sara Potts leads Kentucky, coming into the game averaging 13.6 points per game.
Kentucky coach Mickie DeMoss said in order to get the win at LSU, Kentucky must shoot well and cut down on the turnovers.
“To have a chance to upset the nation’s top-ranked team, we are going to have to shoot better than we’ve been shooting the past couple of games and take care of the basketball,” DeMoss said at UKathletics.com. “LSU has talent in every position and we are going to have to play smart and play together.”
Kentucky is coming off a 65-50 loss Sunday to Auburn. The Lady Wildcats managed to shoot just 30.5 percent from the floor.
But Johnson said Kentucky will bring their best game in facing LSU.
“Kentucky is going to come out and give 100 percent just like everyone else does,” Johnson said. “We just need to make sure that we come out with a lot of energy and a lot of motivation.”
With just one home game remaining after tonight’s matchup with Kentucky, Chatman said LSU needs to play strong for 40 minutes.
“We’re at home, but the last time I checked, no fans come out on the floor,” Chatman said. “We’ll have to put the game plan together and execute for 40 minutes.”