BATON ROUGE – The LSU women’s basketball team returns to action from its 10-day break for final exams and takes on Southeastern Louisiana Sunday afternoon at the Maravich Center.
Tipoff is on-tap for 2:02 p.m., and the game will be carried online only by SEC Network Plus. The game is available on http://www.watchespn.com/ and the WatchESPN app. Lyn Rollins and Victor Howell will serve as the announcing team.
The LSU Sports Radio Network will broadcast the game on its flagship station Talk 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge. The broadcast featuring Patrick Wright, the voice of the Tigers, also will be available for Geaux Zone subscribers at www.LSUsports.net/live.
Tickets for Sunday’s game are on-sale at http://www.lsutix.net/ and can be purchased at the Maravich Center Box Office starting as low as $2 for general admission seating. Fans are encouraged to bring an unopened toy as part of the program’s holiday toy drive to benefit Toys for Tots. Collection bins will be located throughout the upper concourse of the arena. The Maravich Center Box Office opens at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Southeastern Louisiana (3-5) has lost back-to-back road decisions to Auburn and Mississippi State. The Lady Lions are led by Symone Miller’s 14.3 points per game followed by Nanna Pool’s 13.9 points per game. Both players have knocked down over 50 percent of their shots. Elizabeth Styles has chipped in 9.4 points and 6.0 assists per game. Her 6.0 assists led the Southland Conference.
“Our players will be hungry to get back on the floor,” head coach Nikki Caldwell said. “I don’t want them to lose the momentum that we gained prior to finals. That’s something that you worry about as a coach. Through our practices, we’re trying to keep them at the intensity at the level that it needs to be. I want our practices more difficult and more demanding than the game is. I know they’re going to be excited to get back on the floor together.”
Last time out, LSU (3-4) secured a 73-59 victory over Louisiana Tech to snap a three-game losing streak. The Lady Tigers turned in their best defensive effort of the season and forced the Lady Techsters into a 2-for-28 shooting effort in the opening half.
Raigyne Moncrief has registered a team-leading 11.1 points and 7.1 points per game. Most recently, she collected her first career double-double with a season’s best 18 points and career-high 10 rebounds versus Louisiana Tech. She also equaled career-bests with seven steals and six assists. Moncrief has tallied double figures in five of her seven starts.
DaShawn Harden has posted 9.3 points and 2.4 steals per game. She made her first start of the season during the Louisiana Tech game and has upped her scoring mark to 13.3 points per game over her last three outings.
In her seven starts, Anne Pedersen has provided 6.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game as part of LSU’s backcourt. She has reached double figures twice most recently with an 11-point effort against Santa Clara.
LSU’s post game has been sparked by Akilah Bethel‘s 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. She has connected 50 percent of her field goals. Like Harden, Sheila Boykin also broke into the starting lineup versus Louisiana Tech. She has notched 5.4 rebounds and 6.1 rebounds per game. Her 6.1 rebounds per game are second on the team.
Jenna Deemer has picked up 5.0 points per game which is tied for first among LSU’s current bench players. She reached double figures for the second time with 11 points against Louisiana Tech. Ann Jones has garnered a balanced 5.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while Rina Hill is coming off a season-high tying eight points during the Louisiana Tech game.
Stephanie Amichia, Alliyah Fareo and Jasmine Rhodes have appeared in all seven games for the Lady Tigers. Fareo secured a season’s best four points against Louisiana Tech.
“We wanted to clean up some of our play action especially on the defensive end,” Caldwell said. “Our one-pass away defense, we have to have better awareness. We’ve been doing a lot of drills to make sure we’re not missing our coverage because there are so many great shooters out there. With us playing a matchup zone, we have to be there on the catch. Then obviously box out, box out, box out. Everything ends with us being physical on the boards.”
Season tickets are on sale for $75 online at http://www.LSUtix.net/. The LSU Athletics Ticket Office can be reached at (800) 960-8587 or (225) 578-2184 and is located on the first floor of the Moran Family Center for Athletics Administration Building. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
For all of the latest news and information on Lady Tiger basketball, visit www.LSUsports.net/womensbasketball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/LSUwbkb, @lsuwbkb and @NikkiCaldwell on Twitter, @LSUwbkb and @LSUNikkiCaldwell on Instagram.