STARKVILLE — It’s time to get tougher.
It’s also time for the Mississippi State women’s basketball team to slow down and to take better care of the basketball.
MSU’s ability to put all of those elements into action will be put to the test at 7 tonight when it plays host to LSU at Humphrey Coliseum in its Southeastern Conference opener.
MSU split two games at the Peppermill Holiday Classic in Reno, Nev., at the end of 2011. It lost to Oklahoma State 78-71 on Dec. 29 and rebounded to earn a 67-63 victory against Nevada the next day. The Bulldogs rallied from a 16-point deficit with 15 minutes, 23 seconds remaining in the game to get back on track after a lackluster first half.
MSU coach Sharon Fanning-Otis said the players understand they need consistent effort will help them produce the results everyone wants. Now it is a matter of putting it into action because SEC teams will be bigger, faster, stronger, quicker, and unrelenting.
“We just didn’t have that (consistent) effort for the tournament like we needed,” Fanning-Otis said. “I just want 100-percent effort. … We have to understand how hard you have to play all the time.”
LSU (10-3, 1-0 SEC) is coming off an 83-44 victory against the University of Mississippi on Sunday. LaSondra Barrett, a preseason first-team All-SEC selection, leads the Tigers in scoring (11.7 points per game) and rebounds (6.2).
Fanning-Otis said LSU has great size and is playing with defensive intensity for first-year coach Nikki Caldwell. The Tigers are second in the SEC in field goal percentage (45.5 percent) and first in field goal percentage defense (30.9). MSU is second in field goal percentage defense (33.7).
But MSU also is 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.7). It has the fewest number of assists in the SEC (149) and had committed 220 turnovers. LSU is tied for first in the SEC with Kentucky for the most turnovers forced (260).
MSU will try to combat LSU with a guard rotation that will feature seniors Diamber Johnson (SEC-best 18.3 ppg., 4.6 assists per game) and Porsha Porter (second on team in scoring, 15.3 ppg.). Freshman Kendra Grant and Jerica James also are likely to see playing time. Their development will be key in determining how MSU fares in the 16-game SEC slate.
Fanning-Otis praised Grant for her continued maturation on defense. She also said James, a 5-foot-5 point guard from North Little Rock, Ark., provided a spark against Nevada and has been doing a good job seeing MSU post players. James had three points and five assists (zero turnovers) in 13 minutes against Nevada.
“She knows where the post players need to catch it,” Fanning-Otis said. “She has good basketball sense. Hopefully every game she will keep getting better.”
Fanning-Otis said James’ ability to play point guard will help MSU because it will allow Johnson to move to a two-guard. She said that will be such a benefit because Johnson sees the floor well, and playing on the wing will give her opportunities to create for other players.
James, who is in backcourt rotation that also features sophomore Katia May and junior Darriel Gaynor, has played 10 or minutes in five games this season. She said she understands her role and feels more comfortable directing a team that is about to kick off conference play.
“I feel I should develop what I am good at and the reason I am here,” James said. “Seeing the court, seeing the floor, and seeing the post are the areas I need to step up on, and that is what I am working on to get better.”
James said it has been harder facing tougher teams and that she is ready to do even more to help the Lady Bulldogs.
Johnson, who shared point guard duties as a sophomore and continues in that role, said James is ready to face the challenge of SEC play.
“I think our team will be better off with the more time she can get at point and pushing me over (to the two guard),” Johnson said. “You can tell she has accepted (her role) and she is looking to do what her job is, which is to pass, to penetrate, and to get people open.”
MSU received plenty of contributions in its come-from-behind victory against Nevada. Freshman Shamia Robinson had an offensive rebound and a putback to give MSU a 64-63 lead with 2:40 to play. She had 10 rebounds in 12 minutes. James hit a 3-pointer to cut MSU’s deficit to one point with 5:27 to go, senior center Catina Bett had seven points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes, and Grant hit a jump shot with 43 seconds to go to make it 66-63.
Fanning-Otis said MSU needs to have more players take advantage of their chances if it is going to realize its potential and be a special team.
“I think they are learning,” Fanning-Otis said. “We have played enough teams for them to have heard it and understand it. Are they doing what they need to do? Not yet. We’re not as a team. We’re not contesting every shot, we’re not blocking out, we’re not communicating enough on screens. … We have to make those adjustments. We have to be more physical and we have to get tougher.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.