The Lady Tigers started 2013 off with a 92-76 blowout victory against their in-state rivals, Southern University Jaguars (6-11,5-1 SWAC).
Their luck quickly faded as they dropped their next three games by more than 13 points.
Defeated by Alcorn State University 71-58, Prairie View A&M 78-58 and Texas Southern University 91-64. The Lady Tigers currently sit in a three-way tie at the bottom of the SWAC for last place with a 1-5 record and 2-15 overall. There only other win came against Stephen F. Austin on December 1 64-63.
With a new coach Patricia Cage-Biggs, many fans were hoping to start conference play off better than last season. Through six SWAC games in the 2011-2012, the team’s record was 2-4 with victories against Alabama State and Alcorn State under the leadership of Donnita Rogers. The Lady Tigers picked up speed at the end of January winning the next eight games out of 12 games. Their turnaround season allowed for them to compete in the SWAC Championship Tournament last year.
The Lady Tigers have a lot of improvement to make in order to turn their current season around. They are in eighth place in scoring average per game 56.5 and in last place in scoring defense. Their opponents average 79 points a game. The Lady Tigers are leaving easy points on the court with a free throw percentage of .583, ninth in SWAC.
From long range, the Tigers are leading the SWAC with .325 and they average five made three pointers a game. Defensively, the Tigers are fourth in the SWAC in steals with 9.8 a game.
Joanna Miller was named Player of the Week by Grambling Athletics website. She is the leading scorer for the Lady Tigers averaging 14.3 points. She also leads the conference in scoring.
The guard is from Los Angeles and transfer from North Carolina Central University.
She noted that the best advice she ever received came from her father. He told her, “The way you practice is the way you play.”
The Lady Tigers next game is against Jackson State University (4-11,1-5 SWAC) on Saturday. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center in Grambling.
Tierra Smith is a sophomore mass communication major from Milwaukee.