BATON ROUGE – DaShawn Harden exploded for a career-high 28 points ignited by a career-best five three-pointers as the LSU women’s team snapped a two-game losing streak and bounced back in a big way with an 80-63 victory over No. 12 Texas A&M on Sunday afternoon at the Maravich Center.
The victory enabled LSU (16-12, 10-6 SEC) to secure the No. 4 seed and a double bye for next week’s SEC Tournament. The Lady Tigers will play their quarterfinal game Friday at 2:30 p.m. CT in Little Rock.
LSU garnered its third victory over a Top 15 SEC opponent and ended a three-game losing skid to the Aggies (22-8, 10-6 SEC). The 80 points are the most for the Lady Tigers against Texas A&M since a 90-65 win on December 30, 1991.
“This was a very emotional game for a lot of different reasons,” head coach Nikki Caldwell said. “We’ve got unbelievable seniors. What they’ve meant to this program, it was very special to be able to send them out on a good note as far as our regular season is concerned. It was also great to have a bunch of our alumnae back who have paved the way and who have been such an example for these young ladies. I know the stories they were telling (at dinner) last night really came into play. I saw a team that really took that to heart and really wanted to win, not just for themselves but for the alums and for the fans that were here.
| SEC Standings, Schedule, Tournament | |||
| Seed | Team | SEC | Overall |
| 1 | South Carolina | 15-1 | 27-2 |
| 2 | Tennessee | 15-1 | 28-4 |
| 3 | Mississippi St. | 11-5 | 25-6 |
| 4 | LSU | 10-6 | 16-12 |
| 5. | Texas A&M | 10-6 | 22-8 |
| 6. | Kentucky | 10-6 | 21-8 |
| 7. | Missouri | 7-9 | 17-12 |
| 8. | Ole Miss | 7-9 | 17-12 |
| 9. | Arkansas | 6-10 | 16-12 |
| 10. | Georgia | 6-10 | 18-11 |
| 11. | Vanderbilt | 5-11 | 14-15 |
| 12. | Florida | 5-11 | 13-16 |
| 13. | Auburn | 3-13 | 12-17 |
| 14. | Alabama | 2-14 | 13-18 |
| # Indicates SEC Tournament seed when determined. All times Central Sunday, March 1 Results LSU def. Texas A&M, 80-63 Mississippi St. def. Ole Miss, 55-47 Auburn def. Alabama, 80-73 Missouri def. Arkansas, 57-41 Georgia def. Florida, 52-45 Kentucky def. South Carolina, 67-56 Tennessee def. Vanderbilt, 79-49 SEC Tournament Schedule | Home Wed., March 4 |
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For Harden, she poured in 22 of her 28 points during the first half. She was 9-of-15 from the floor, and was a flawless 5-for-5 at the free throw line. The 28 points are a season’s best for a LSU player. Harden has secured three of her four 20-plus point performances this season.
Danielle Ballard chimed in with her third 20-point effort on the season and extended her run to 12 consecutive games in double figures. She pumped in 12 of her 20 points in the second half. Ballard also secured seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Raigyne Moncrief tacked on 10 points and three steals. She has recorded 10-plus points in seven of her last eight appearances. Off the bench, Rina Hill notched six points and equaled her career-high with four assists against zero turnovers.
LSU’s post play was led by Akilah Bethel‘s five points, two assists and two steals. Sheila Boykin came away with four points, six rebounds and two assists.
As a team, LSU produced a 29-of-64 shooting performance and knocked down 5-of-10 from beyond the three-point arc. The Lady Tigers also were an efficient 17-of-20 at the free throw line.
Texas A&M was sparked by Courtney Williams who ripped off 19 points on a 8-for-10 shooting clip. She also handed out five assists. Courtesy Walker and Khaalia Hillsman picked up 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Aggies were forced into a SEC season-high 24 turnovers, and LSU took advantage with 27 of the game’s 33 points off turnovers.
The Lady Tigers connected on four of their first five shot attempts and raced out to a 9-2 advantage in the game’s first two minutes. Harden hit a layup off the opening tip, dialed up a three-pointer and added another layup off a steal in transition.
Ahead 13-10 at the 13:28 mark, LSU busted the game open with 21 of the next 25 points over the next 6:15 off the clock. Harden kickstarted a flurry of 13 straight points with a trey on the left wing and drained a trio of free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt. Jenna Deemer stepped in for a midrange jumper to push the LSU lead to double figures, 21-10, with 12:14 remaining.
Deemer found Harden for another three-ball, and Hill sank a midrange jumper to make it 26-10 with 10:04 left. The Lady Tigers capped the run and took their largest lead, 34-14, after a pair of Ballard free throws at the 6:54 mark.
Texas A&M made eight of its last 10 field goal attempts to pull back to 47-35 at halftime. The 47 points were a season-high for LSU in an opening half.
The Lady Tigers were able to keep the lead in double digits for the entire second half. A Walker layup drew Texas A&M within 72-61 at the 2:41 mark.
On LSU’s ensuing possession, Ballard drove the baseline and swished a 5-foot runner. She hit two free throws and Harden put the finishing touches on her career day with a layup off a home run pass courtesy of Bethel to stretch the LSU advantage back to 17 points.
“DaShawn has had good performances coming off the bench for us,” Caldwell said. “She’s a player who can score a lot of baskets in a short period of time, especially if you get her looks. She is a player who can stretch you defensively because she can shoot a three. The thing about DaShawn is that when she is focused in on game play, she’s a game changer with her ability to get steals and convert those into layups. She’s a great spot up shooter and she can catch and shoot. You’ve got to know where she is at on the floor at all times. She did a nice job today when we were running some of our screening action of reading her screens and putting her eyes on the defense and taking what they would give her. If they were on her, she curled and drove the basketball. She just really played solid for us defensively as well because she was able to turn them over and get some easy baskets. I like the fact that our team played unselfish and didn’t mind that DaShawn was the one who, or one of the ones who really shined for us on the offensive end.”
LSU will play either Texas A&M, Auburn or Florida in Friday’s quarterfinal round at the SEC Tournament. Tipoff is slated for approximately 2:30 p.m. from Verizon Arena in Little Rock. The game will be televised by the SEC Network and also will be available on www.WatchESPN.com and the Watch ESPN app.
The LSU Sports Radio Network will carry the game on its flagship station Talk 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge. The radio broadcast featuring Patrick Wright, the voice of the Lady Tigers, also will be available for Geaux Zone subscribers at www.LSUsports.net/live.
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.
LSU Women’s Basketball Postgame Quotes
LSU vs. No. 12 Texas A&M – March 1, 2015
HEAD COACH NIKKI CALDWELL
Opening statement
“This was a very emotional game for a lot of different reasons. We’ve got unbelievable seniors. What they’ve meant to this program, it was very special to be able to send them out on a good note as far as our regular season is concerned. It was also great to have a bunch of our alumnae back who have paved the way and who have been such an example for these young ladies. I know the stories they were telling (at dinner) last night really came into play. I saw a team that really took that to heart and really wanted to win, not just for themselves but for the alums and for the fans that were here. We had a special group that joined us. We had an opportunity to spend some time with them. The orange t-shirts that you saw in the stands – orange is the color for Disability Awareness Month. We partnered with them (the Arc of Baton Rouge) to bring awareness and also to bring a little joy to those who have family members with disabilities. We talked about that in our pregame talk and wanted to make sure that we didn’t take for granted the support that we have here. That’s what this game was about today.”
On what today’s win means to the team…
“It obviously strengthens us from an RPI standpoint. It also allows our team to have another win over a Top 15 team. When you look at our last 12 games, which the committee looks at, we’re 8-4 with the four losses coming on the road, so that’s a strong statement. I truly believe that we have a very fun group of young ladies to watch. Our guard play is pretty strong. I think you all can agree that. A lot of the coaches in our conference can agree that Danielle Ballard is one of the best guards, not only in our conference, but in the country. You don’t have players like (Riagyne) Moncrief who can also go off on you at any time. Obviously when you look at what (DaShawn) Harden did tonight, that’s another player who’s explosive. We’ve got the personnel to match that resume that you want to take into the NCAA tournament.”
On the team’s focus and the team’s energy…
“We spent the last couple of days trying to focus in on really starting their day in a way that’s positive, and we do a thing called win the day. We want them to put down three, four or five things to win the day. They won today, but that winning for today started after we turned it around the next day after the Ole Miss loss. We focused in on us, and we didn’t look back. We talked about how you have to move forward, but you also have to learn from your mistakes. There were a lot of mistakes made in the Ole Miss and Arkansas games. The mistakes came on the defensive end so we’ve been really fine tuning our defense and trying to hold them even more accountable for the defensive effort. Tonight, that’s what that was about. Why we’re able to hold a team like Texas A&M to 14 points in the first 12 minutes of play was through our defense.
On DaShawn Harden and her role on the team…
“DaShawn (Harden) has had good performances coming off the bench for us. She’s a player who can score a lot of baskets in a short period of time, especially if you get her looks. She is a player who can stretch you defensively because she can shoot a three. The thing about DaShawn is that when she is focused in on game play, she’s a game changer with her ability to get steals and convert those into layups. She’s a great spot up shooter and she can catch and shoot. You’ve got to know where she is at on the floor at all times. She did a nice job today when we were running some of our screening action of reading her screens and putting her eyes on the defense and taking what they would give her. If they were on her, she curled and drove the basketball. She just really played solid for us defensively as well because she was able to turn them over and get some easy baskets. I like the fact that our team played unselfish and didn’t mind that DaShawn was the one who, or one of the ones who really shined for us on the offensive end.”
On the likelihood of 10 SEC wins getting the team into the NCAA tournament …
“It should, I think it should. I agree 100 percent with you. I feel as though we should, year in and year out, get eight teams in the NCAA from our conference. It’s such a competitive conference, and we always have said this. You get to that eight-win mark, you should be a team that is in. Last year, we had a cluster of us that were 7-9 so they definitely respected what the conference would bring. When you have two potential number one seeds, Tennessee and South Carolina in your conference and then you look at what Mississippi State has done and Texas A&M and Kentucky and Georgia early. Then you’re like us, you had to play both South Carolina and Texas A&M twice in our conference scheduling. They’ve got to see that, they’ve got to see the competitiveness of this conference.”
On DaShawn Harden‘s overall performance today …
“We were very happy for the performance that DaShawn (Harden) had. We know what she was capable of on any given night in terms of scoring the basketball. The thing that I liked about DaShawn tonight was that she was very coachable. In the second half when we saw that (Courtney) Williams was really getting on a roll, we went to a hard denial on her. We put DaShawn (Harden) on her. She is one of those players that we can call on to to try to take out the best player and the best guard defensively, she gets that assignment. Although you saw the offensive production that she is capable of showcasing, defensively down the stretch there on (Courtney) Williams, she did a really nice job. She’s that player that is being coachable on both sides of the basketball. She had her family here. It was great for her to have her family here today from Kansas, a long way from home. She also has really bought in to what we have to do and what we have to do ahead of us to be successful.”
LSU PLAYER QUOTES
LSU GUARD DASHAWN HARDEN
On her focus and preparation going into today’s game…
“I knew that if we won this game, we would get two byes in the upcoming (SEC) tournament. Last year, we were tired when we played Tennessee in the second half of our second game in the last matchup. My main focus was doing anything I could to help us win today, and that is what I was determined to do.”
On how important it is to play well on Senior Day…
“Yes, it is very nice. I can’t complain about what happened, but I was not expecting it. My goal was to get defensive stops, but my teammates just kept finding me. You can’t make shots without your teammates helping out.”
On if today’s game was LSU’s most complete game of the season…
“It is always great to win right before you head into the SEC Tournament. Everyone contributed today all across the board in scoring, rebounding or assisting. Coach (Caldwell) was telling us today how everyone had at least one assist today. This type of game gives us momentum for the (SEC) tournament.”
LSU GUARD DANIELLE BALLARD
On the importance of today’s win…
“We knew as a team the things we need to accomplish today in order to get a high seed. Coach (Caldwell) told us today to win this game for our seniors, and we played our hearts out today. We played as a team. Coach (Caldwell) said to us over and over again about how important this game was, and we wanted to bring it.”
On what her focus was for today’s game…
“Being aggressive, I wanted to get more rebounds on the defensive end and doing whatever I could do to help out my teammates. I was also trying to be unselfish by having more assists throughout the game.”
On today’s win getting LSU into the NCAA Tournament …
“We know where we belong as a group. We are just trying to take one day at a time. We are not trying to lose focus. We know how important it is to be in the NCAA tournament. We are really just focusing in on ourselves right now and doing the things we need to accomplish to get there.”
TEXAS A&M HEAD COACH GARY BLAIR
Opening statement…
“This had nothing to do with the injury to Jordan Jones. This had to do with LSU perhaps playing with the most energy that I’ve seen them play with in a long time. They were outstanding, and everything that they did was good. We haven’t had much trouble with presses all year, but we turned the ball over 15 times in the first half and 12 of those were by my three best players, so no excuse there. Yes, Jones would’ve helped on the press, but Jones couldn’t have stopped the energy LSU had and knowing they were playing for their NCAA lives. We were playing for a Top 4 national seed, which we don’t deserve based on how we finished our last four games. Hopefully, this win will put LSU in there which they need to be. (DaShawn) Harden played like what a senior should play like on a Senior Day. She has taken the back seat to (Raigyne) Moncrief and (Danielle) Ballard for too long. That kid can play; she’s a threat. All of us have injuries particularly in the SEC this year. We’ve lost a lot of great players. I’ve been lucky. For two years, we haven’t had a player miss a ball game because of an injury. So, what we have to do is regroup and focus on how we can get better. How can I teach better knowing I’ve got a junior point guard that’s a great kid? It’s not because she played bad, she just doesn’t have a voice. This is why Courtney Williams did a lot of the talking for the team out on the court because you can’t all of a sudden make somebody into Howard Cosell if they’re a quiet kid. We’re going to get better. We appreciate the enthusiasm, and we appreciate LSU. We’ve won two close ones here the last two years. LSU deserved it. I think we got down 26 or something and fought to get it back to a reasonable deficit. We fought to get it to 10, but then the turnovers started again.”
On the team shooting well and the team’s turnovers…
“Turnovers are the whole game. I’ve never had a game where I shot almost 60 percent, 50 percent from the 3 and 81 percent from the line and lost. But turnovers will do that.”
On LSU deserving to be in NCAA Tournament and the strength of SEC…
“LSU lost two ball games when they didn’t get to play the two over in Mexico which I’m sure they would’ve won against K-State (Kansas State) and whoever else they were supposed to play. The NCAA takes in account a lot of different things… (Losing Danielle Ballard) It wasn’t an injury, it was a suspension. So, you don’t get the benefit of a suspension if you don’t make it. You get the benefit of an injury if somebody is out, and then you play well after her. We’ve all been in those situations, and that’s what the NCAA looks at. Then, they look at whether they say it or not, who your key wins are against – not if you just beat the bottom of the league. They look at who your top 25 are and top 50 wins are. With this win for LSU over us, we’re number 12 in the country. We’re not playing like it, but we’re still #12. That’s a great win for our league and a great win for LSU. You take (Danielle) Ballard out of the lineup – heck take Billy Cannon out of your football team, or we take Johnny Manziel out. What do you have? You just don’t take Ballard out. She plays very good and very hard. The two most physical guard/forwards in the league are (Aleighsa) Welch of South Carolina and Ballard of LSU. But I wouldn’t trade my two (Courtney Williams and Courtney Walker). My two are going to play at that next level too. They’re All-SEC performers, but tonight it was about LSU.”
TEXAS A&M GUARD COURTNEY WALKER
On how to defend DaShawn Harden coming into the game…
“We knew she’s a really good shooter who can have a really good game or a really off game. So we really didn’t want to let her get a streak going. She got going early and kept shooting well throughout the whole game. “