Struggling La Salle needs to cut down the turnovers to bounce back in A-10 play
The 3-8 Explorers could be in for a rude awakening in conference play unless they tidy up some things offensively.
In the midst of a six-game losing streak, La Salle is looking to turn its women’s basketball season around as it gears up for conference play.
Picked to finish 12th in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll, the Explorers head into the conference schedule under the radar. The young team, comprised mostly of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, still has a lot to learn and experience to gain.
Five days out from their first conference game at George Mason on Dec. 30, the Explorers have several areas they must improve upon to have a competitive season.
Here is a look at three things La Salle needs to fix as conference play gets underway.
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Value the basketball
La Salle (3-8) is currently averaging 19.1 turnovers per game. The Explorers rank last in the conference with a turnover margin of minus-3.27.
La Salle has to find a way to trim its turnover numbers with cleaner ballhandling.
Another solution for the Explorers is to force more turnovers with aggressive defense. This would earn them more possessions.
If the Explorers are unable to address their turnover struggles, they will have difficulty exceeding their preseason conference ranking.
Shoot better
La Salle is also last in the A-10 in field goal percentage heading into conference play. The Explorers are shooting just 37.3% from the field through 11 games.
With teams like Richmond and Davidson leading the conference and shooting 47%, La Salle needs to improve its efficiency numbers if it hopes to be competitive in the A-10.
Fixing the turnover challenges and getting more possessions won’t be as beneficial if La Salle’s not shooting with accuracy. Top guard Nicole Melious is shooting just 38.1% from the field.
The Explorers also rank second to last in the conference in free throw percentage at 65%.
Battling on the boards
The Explorers rank in the middle of the pack in rebounds so far this season, averaging about 36 per game. Senior guard Jolene Armendariz leads the way, averaging 5.9.
Compared to some of their other statistics, this is one of La Salle’s stronger points, and an area that it can excel in in conference play with a little more improvement.
More boards, particularly on the offensive glass, would give the Explorers more scoring opportunities to help combat their shooting shortcomings.