By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
Kim Mulkey has been looking for one of her players to emerge as the defensive stopper since the start of the season. After the Tigers’ 89-60 win over Florida on Monday night, it appears sophomore guard Jada Richard is exactly what Mulkey has been looking for.
Richard has made significant strides from her freshman to sophomore season. Not only is she now an integral part of LSU’s electric No. 1 scoring offense in the country, averaging 13 points per game in SEC play, but she is also establishing herself as one of the team’s best defenders.
“You can talk about Jada and all the things she means to our team right now, but the one thing that probably is most impressive is she’s had to guard some of the best guards in this league and she just never gets tired and she figures it out,” Mulkey said after LSU’s win over Florida on Monday night.
And Mulkey’s right. Richard is building up a strong résumé for herself on the defensive end midway through SEC play. She has been tasked with defending some of the best guards in the country, including Oklahoma freshman guard Aaliyah Chavez, Texas A&M senior guard Ny’Ceara Pryor and Florida sophomore guard Liv McGill. Richard held all three to under 15 points.
Richard, who’s averaging 1.4 steals per game this season, credited her recent success on the defensive end to constant work in the gym.
“I’m always doing conditioning. Like I said, I’m with Thomas (Lené) on off days. By myself, I like to do different types of conditioning, so yeah, that’s just a testament to my hard work and just taking those types of things personal,” Richard said after the win against Florida. “I know conditioning is really the most important thing in the game, so if I can stay on the court longer and be effective, then that’s a plus for me.”
Mulkey said she believes Richard’s presence on the defensive end on the floor has a positive impact on everyone on the floor.
“They already had confidence in Jada, but what they see now is in years past, Flau’jae may have had to be the defensive stopper and then the first part of this year and last year and then Mikaylah. So, now they’re like, ‘Oh man, thank goodness we’ve got Jada,’” Mulkey said. “And then you throw Lay in the mix with her speed and quickness, you got some special kids there that are buying into it. She figures it out. Her IQ with basketball is something you have to be around her every day to see.”
Mulkey’s No. 6 Tigers (19-2, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) look to win their sixth straight game Thursday night against Arkansas (11-10, 0-6 SEC) at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (7 p.m., SEC Network+).
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