After a stellar non-conference season the Tiger and Lady Tiger basketball teams are finding out the conference schedule is always a challenge. Both teams played three out of the first four conference games on the road against very good opponents.
The Tigers are 10-6 and 0-3 in conference. “This year our division is tougher than it has ever been,” said Head Coach Charlie Schaef. That is evident in Ouachita’s first four opponents.
The three conference losses come against No. 12 Christian Brothers, No. 19 Arkansas-Monticello and Delta State, with Arkansas-Monticello and Delta State both being on the road.
It will not get any easer for the Tigers as they travel to Russellville tonight to take on the No. 16 Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys who are 13-3.
There is a silver lining to all the road games for the Tigers, it means that the next time they play these teams it will be a home game providing them the ability to get on a roll at the end of the year, which they did earlier this year winning nine in a row.
Two key areas that Schaef believes that the Tigers need to improve in is cutting back on turnovers and finishing off defensive possessions with defensive rebounds.
“Anytime you turn the ball over and allow too many offensive rebounds you are allowing your opponent too many high percentage opportunities to score. Playing the top teams in the county like we are if you do that then you are going to lose close ball games,” Schaef said.
The Tigers will be without the service of leading scorer Jaranimo Marks the rest of the season which will force some players to step up. “The team has got to make up for it,” Schaef said.
Schaef believes Antonio “Okie” Benjamin and Rowan Ledbetter did an excellent job running the point against Arkansas Monticello, where the Tigers had a season low nine turnovers.
The Lady Tigers have also had a tough road through first part of the year. Their first game came against Delta State who was 33-1 last year and is 8-0 at home.
The Lady Tigers then beat Christian Brothers at Ouachita, then lost to Arkansas-Monticello 72-71 in Monticello, and it does not get any easier with Arkansas Tech tonight who is 7-1 at home.
The Lady Tigers’ three away games have come against teams that are a combined 21-2 at home.
The Tigers are led by a very good group of freshman players, including leading scorer A’Laeshia Adams who averages 13.1 points per game. “They have been outstanding,” Head Coach Crowder said. “They have done everything we ask them to do.”
A plus for this team according to Crowder is the depth, balance and chemistry. The Lady Tigers have 10 players that have started at least seven games.
“I would hate to have to prepare for us because it can be a different individual [scoring] from night to night,” Crowder said.
There are a few things he believes his team needs to work on, one is closing out games. The Lady Tigers play a fast game, but according to Crowder sometimes they are too fast and do not take advantage of what the defense gives them.
Both these teams are very talented and hope to get back on the winning track tonight against Arkansas Tech in Russellville and Saturday in Bill Vining Arena.
