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LSU vs. Jackson State Preview
by LeAnne Harrington, SECWB.com
Posted: March 21st, 2008 @ 11:00pm
There’s probably not another team in the country more anxious to get this party started than LSU. Even though they had to settle for a #2 seed instead of the #1 that some felt they deserved, they get to play at home up to the Sweet Sixteen, and if things go according to seed, will be just down the road in New Orleans for the next two games. Meanwhile, Jackson State is happy to be invited back to the dance for the third time in school history, albeit the first time since 1995. After starting their season 2-8, the Jackson State Lady Tigers won 13 of their next 15 games before losing the last 3 games of the regular season. Jackson State then swept the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament, upsetting Prairie View in the championship to receive the automatic bid.
This is LSU’s 17th trip to the NCAA’s and they are a team on a mission, looking to make it back to their fifth straight Final Four. After going undefeated in the SEC during the regular season at 14-0, they were beaten in the SEC Tournament championship game by Tennessee. Other than a stumble at Middle Tennessee State University (a game Sylvia Fowles missed with a knee injury), LSU’s only other losses were at the hands of UCONN, Maryland and Rutgers. LSU is led by Fowles, a 6’6” All-American center who was voted Player of the Year in the SEC by the coaches and again by the media. Her stellar supporting cast includes Quianna Chaney, Ashley Thomas, RaShonta LeBlanc and one of the most underrated point guards in the nation: Erica White.
Meanwhile, Jackson State has no starter taller than 5’10” and 5’6” senior guard LaSharee Christian is their only double-digit scorer, averaging 14.2 points per game, and is tied for the lead in rebounding, with 5.9 boards a game. Senior guard Carena Easley, the SWAC defensive player of the year, ended the regular season with a conference-leading 3.3 steals per game and was also in the top 15 nationally. Easley scored 9.4 ppg and averaged 5.4 rebounds in the regular season. The J-State Lady Tigers don’t shoot particularly well from the floor, averaging less than 37% field goal percentage, and only 27.2% from 3-point range. They are connecting on only 60.4% of their free throws and have been outscored and outrebounded on average by their opponents this year in the regular season. So what gives? How was this team able to pull out the wins they have? They are fast, with lightening quick hands and have forced opponents into an average of 24 turnovers a game, with nearly 13 of those coming off steals.
Probable Starters for LSU:
C Sylvia Fowles, 6-6, SR: 17.2 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.6 spg, 1.7 bpg, 59.9 FG %
F Ashley Thomas, 6-0, SR: 5.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg
G Erica White, 5-3, SR: 7.3 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.9 spg, 4.4 apg
G RaShonta LeBlanc, 5-7, SR: 6.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.3 spg, 3.4 apg, 35.5 3FG
G Quianna Chaney, 5-11, SR: 15.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.7 spg, 3.2 apg, 39.2 3FG%, 75.0 FT%
Probable Starters for Jackson State:
G Carena Easley, 5-10, SR: 9.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.4 steals
G Eboni Ross, 5-7, FR: 2.8 ppg
G LaSharee Christian, 5-6, SR: 14.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.3 spg
F Erica Trahan, 5-10, JR: 7.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg
G DeQuisha Davis, 5-8, JR: 5.7 ppg
My prediction is this one may be fast paced and fun to watch for the first few minutes, but Jackson State has no answer for Big Syl in the middle. If she can stay out of foul trouble, this should be LSU in a romp.
2008 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament
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