Spring Break
Lady'Backs hope to get back on track
Derek Oxford
Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: Sports
The Arkansas Lady'Back basketball team stumbled over the weekend at South Carolina, losing a tough 59-50 decision to the Gamecocks.
This came as a surprise to Arkansas head coach Tom Collen and his charges after a solid 56-42 win over Mississippi State the previous Sunday in Fayetteville.
"Our greatest weakness as a team is South Carolina's strength, especially with [Lakesha] Tolliver back," Collen said. "And when they put three kids with size out there, it makes them that much stronger."
South Carolina (12-10, 1-6 Southeastern Conference) picked up its first conference victory and did it in dominating fashion, as junior Gamecock Demetress Adams broke a 33-year school record with 26 rebounds on the night.
Ironically, the Lady'Backs only managed 26 altogether, while South Carolina cleaned the glass for 56 of its own.
"It makes a big difference when your biggest rebounder [Lauren Ervin] is out," Collen said. "And because we depended on her so much, it shows that we weren't doing such a good job boxing out all along. We are going to have to go into the gym and learn how to put bodies on people."
Adams saw her record-setting effort as no more than doing what she was instructed to do by her coaching staff.
"I was surprised," Adams said. "I didn't even know that I had 26 rebounds. I just went to the boards and did what my team needed me to do."
Now Arkansas (17-5, 2-5 SEC) turns its attention Thursday to a reeling Georgia team that has lost three consecutive contests.
The 3-game losing streak is only the fourth in Georgia coach Andy Landers' tenure, which spans 29 seasons. Georgia has never lost four consecutive games under Landers, so the Lady'Backs could make history. Landers said he knows there is room for improvement, and that it needs to happen right now as the season enters its stretch run.
"We need to start valuing the possessions and taking care of the basketball," Landers said. "We need to be more efficient offensively. We need to be ready to play. I think we are prepared to play, but we aren't ready to play."
This came as a surprise to Arkansas head coach Tom Collen and his charges after a solid 56-42 win over Mississippi State the previous Sunday in Fayetteville.
"Our greatest weakness as a team is South Carolina's strength, especially with [Lakesha] Tolliver back," Collen said. "And when they put three kids with size out there, it makes them that much stronger."
South Carolina (12-10, 1-6 Southeastern Conference) picked up its first conference victory and did it in dominating fashion, as junior Gamecock Demetress Adams broke a 33-year school record with 26 rebounds on the night.
Ironically, the Lady'Backs only managed 26 altogether, while South Carolina cleaned the glass for 56 of its own.
"It makes a big difference when your biggest rebounder [Lauren Ervin] is out," Collen said. "And because we depended on her so much, it shows that we weren't doing such a good job boxing out all along. We are going to have to go into the gym and learn how to put bodies on people."
Adams saw her record-setting effort as no more than doing what she was instructed to do by her coaching staff.
"I was surprised," Adams said. "I didn't even know that I had 26 rebounds. I just went to the boards and did what my team needed me to do."
Now Arkansas (17-5, 2-5 SEC) turns its attention Thursday to a reeling Georgia team that has lost three consecutive contests.
The 3-game losing streak is only the fourth in Georgia coach Andy Landers' tenure, which spans 29 seasons. Georgia has never lost four consecutive games under Landers, so the Lady'Backs could make history. Landers said he knows there is room for improvement, and that it needs to happen right now as the season enters its stretch run.
"We need to start valuing the possessions and taking care of the basketball," Landers said. "We need to be more efficient offensively. We need to be ready to play. I think we are prepared to play, but we aren't ready to play."
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