NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After LSU’s 78-66 loss to Vanderbilt in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, one thing is clear: The Lady Tigers are in trouble.
The Lady Commodores exposed several of LSU’s weaknesses in the Music City, revealing that this LSU team, though very talented, is a step below last year’s team that reached the Elite 8 of the NCAA Tournament.
Against the Lady ‘Dores, LSU gave up multiple easy baskets as well as second-chance points off offensive rebounds, and the Lady Tigers could not overcome a 15-point halftime deficit.
Though LSU came into Saturday’s game as the best shooting team in the conference, many of the shots didn’t fall against Vanderbilt, and it rattled them. This team has lived and died by the jump shot all season, but without rebounding, their game plan makes them one dimensional.
Vandy also outrebounded the Lady Tigers 44-28, which is nothing new because LSU hasn’t rebounded all season. They are seventh in the conference in rebounding margin, but have not had an answer for the SEC’s top centers.
Tennessee’s Shyra Ely and Ashley Robinson combined for 19 rebounds and Auburn’s Marita Payne pulled down 15 boards, both in convincing wins against LSU.
The Lady Tigers’ tandem of Wendlyn Jones, Crystal White and Treynell Clavelle has done little to help LSU inside, and one or more of these players will have to emerge as a solid inside presence for the team to be successful
All these things could spell doom in the NCAA Tournament, which will be full of big, physical teams LSU has struggled against or lost to this season, and the competition gets more intense after the second round.
Penn State, a likely No. 2 seed, beat the Lady Tigers by 37 on Nov. 21. Texas, a virtual lock for a No. 1 seed and the team that ousted LSU from the tournament last year, has two of the best post players in the country in Stacey Stephens and Heather Scriber.
At 23-7, LSU is looking at either a No. 3 or No. 4 seed in the tournament, and depending on other teams in the bracket, it’s likely they’ll run into a high caliber if it reaches the Sweet 16 or Elite 8. If they plan on reaching the Final Four in New Orleans, the Lady Tigers must do three things.
1. Hope they draw teams more suited to their run-the-floor style of play and that lack a dominant player inside such as Penn State or even UCONN.
2. Keep shooting and hope the shots go in. Seimone Augustus and Temeka Johnson are among the top 20 players in the country, while Doneeka Hodges is one of the best pure shooters in the land. These players account for 62 percent of LSU’s offense, and if they don’t score, it’s tough for the Lady Tigers to win. If these players don’t come through, it’s up to other players, such as Scholonda Hoston, Hanna Biernacka or Tillie Willis, to shoulder more of the load.
3. Find someone, anyone, who can provide a consistent rebounding presence, which will ease a lot of the pressure on offense. Offensive rebounds will give the shooters confidence while blocking out and grabbing defensive rebounds will help set up the transition game LSU runs so effectively.
All this sounds fundamental, but it hasn’t happened on a consistent basis and it’s showed. For the team to have a chance at its ultimate goal — cutting the nets down in New Orleans — some things have got to change fast.