Category: Women’s Basketball

LSU women’s basketball faces its toughest test yet as it plays at Tennessee on Thursday.

Still undefeated, the Tigers played just one ranked team in then-No. 20 NC State during its nonconference slate. The No. 16 Volunteers lost their first game of the season on Sunday, falling by one point to No. 10 Oklahoma.

Under first-year head coach Kim Caldwell, Tennessee prides itself on scoring the basketball with ease, leading the SEC with 97.3 points per game. Talaysia Cooper’s 17.8 points and 3.6 steals per game lead the team and conference.

Cooper leads a pack of five Volunteers averaging double-digits in scoring, followed by Jewel Spear’s 13.1 points per game. Spear scored a game-high 28 points against the Sooners, including 11 in the fourth quarter as Tennessee mounted a comeback effort.

In Caldwell’s inaugural season, the Volunteers got off to a 13-0 start and recorded eight victories of 20 points or more. They also beat then-No.17 Iowa by 10 points.

Here are five things to watch for in Thursday’s matchup between LSU and Tennessee.

1. Pace of Play

Tennessee and LSU rely on getting out in transition and playing fast to put their opponents on their heels. The programs are first and third, respectively, in points per game in the country.

Both teams rank in the top 15 in possessions per 40 minutes. Stellar guard play and balanced defensive efforts alike allow the Tigers and Volunteers to dictate the pace of every game they’re in. As a result, both will need to plan on stopping the other in transition while also forcing turnovers.

2. Three-Pointers

Tennessee relies on shots falling from beyond the arc to fuel its offense. It averages 36.5 attempts and 12.1 made three-pointers per game, both NCAA bests.

In its loss to the Sooners, the Volunteers were held to 10-36 from three-point land. Spear knocked down six and is tied for the team lead in made three-pointers with Samara Spencer as both have 35 on the season. Six players have made 12 or more threes this season. Forcing Tennessee to pass the ball inside and shoot uncomfortable attempts from deep will help the Tigers win.

3. Tennessee’s Defense

Tennessee leads the nation in turnovers forced per game with 27.6. It uses the giveaways to fuel its fast style of play. It’s also tied second nationally with 14.9 steals per game and Cooper is sixth in the country with 3.64 steals per game.

The Tigers commit an average of 12.7 giveaways per game but the total number was higher in both its SEC game played thus far. They’re also no stranger to slow starts, as Mulkey often points out. To take care of business in a tough road environment against one of the country’s fiercest defenses, LSU must take care of the basketball and limit unforced errors.

While Tennessee’s defense is aggressive, the Vols can give up points at times. We’ll see if LSU can take advantage.

4. Rebounding Battle

Annesah Morrow is the county’s leading rebounder with 14 rebounds per game, 238 total boards, and 15 double-doubles. She, along with the rest of the team, will be challenged to combat a Tennessee team that leads the nation with 20.9 offensive rebounds per game.

Both programs rank in the top 10% nationally in multiple rebounding categories. However, Tennessee struggles on the defensive boards and relies on a “by committee” approach to rebounding. Morrow and company are poised for a big night on the glass should these trends continue.

5. Fouls

Tennessee often finds itself in foul trouble, ranking in the bottom 10% of fouls per game. It paid the price for its physical defensive mindset against the Sooners as it played five substitutions in the game. Bench players accounted for just nine of the Volunteers’ 86 points.

If LSU gets a few Tennessee starters in foul trouble early, it could put the game out of reach. Morrow’s effort on the offensive glass combined with the team’s focus on paint touches may be too much to handle for the Volunteers.