Lady Jags inexperience show in 58-46 loss to Jackson State

Experience came into play in Southern’s 58-46 loss to last year’s Southwestern Athletic Conference runner-up Jackson State Monday night at the F.G. Clark Activity Center, as the Jaguars were outplayed by a deeper more seasoned Tigers’ team.
Jackson State, down at half 23-21 went on a 20-2 second half run in which the Jaguars allowed the Tigers to dictate tempo and dominate the boards. In fact, Southern was outrebounded 23-17 in the second half and allowed the Tigers to shoot 42.9 percent from the field while only making good on 12.5 percent of their field goals.
Plus, during that stretch Southern (4-9, 2-2 SWAC) only had one field goal in 12 minutes.
“The difference in the game was that our defense didn’t jump start our offense,” said SU head coach Sandy Pugh. “Tonight we didn’t get any break away baskets. We gave away too many offensive boards and couldn’t make shots.”
Despite outscoring JSU 26-12 in the paint, SU was hammered by the Tigers’ bench 21-8.
“Our team is beginning to gel,” said JSU head coach Denise Taylor. “Not only did we play hard, we played smart and together. We really grew up tonight.”
Down the stretch JSU’s (6-8, 4-0) more experienced guards took control of the game as senior LaSharee Christian, a preseason All-SWAC first teamer dropped 23 points, six rebounds, four steals and four assists, while Shaneese McLin had 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals.
The two combined for 37 of JSU’s 58 points.
“I thought our guards played smart and stayed poised,” Taylor said. “LaSharee was the playmaker tonight. She created opportunities for other players and knocked down the shots when it was her time to step up.”
SU was led by junior point guard Deidra Jackson who had 18 points, one assist and one steal while turning the ball over eight times. Jackson caught fire late in the second half scoring eight of her 18 points but was double teamed by the Tigers and taken out of the game when they needed her most.”
“We played a zone and then transitioned into man defense, but Jackson caught fire toward the end so we boxed her in to keep the ball out of her hands,” Taylor said.
There were no other Jaguars to score in double figures as redshirt senior Fredrieka Lewis had eight points and Freda Allen and Hannah Kador both had six.
The game before (Saturday) Lewis got her first double-double of the season with 20 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and two steals, as SU won 75-46, but sat on the bench down the stretch as her team struggled. The effort against Grambling was Lewis’ first double-double since February 13, 2006.
“We’re not where we need to be offensively,” Pugh said. “Our offensive execution was horrible, and if we can’t execute we will not compete.”
“You can’t do one and done, you have to run some offense. We didn’t run any offense.”
Allen led SU with 13 rebounds while Jackson had four and Indi Johnson, Ashley Augerson, Courtney Scott and Lewis each had three.
“Freda’s a super rebounder, but she’s not going to get every rebound when she’s fighting her man and two other people,” Pugh said. “We have to rebound.”
“Our failure to rebound and defend were the two biggest keys in tonight’s loss.”