It's the worst start in the 23-year history of University of Memphis women's basketball. In its six losses, the team has lost by an average of 44.5 points per game. Its only win was by two points, and at one point Memphis was down 18 points in that game.
Not much has gone right for the Lady Tigers in the first seven games of the season, but one thing can turn its season around - intensity.
Devin Necaise, starting junior guard and leader of the team, vocalized her intensity during Monday's practiced.
Head coach Blair Savage-Lansden said she is challenging the team to be as intense as possible during practice.
"We just got to play hard," said Necaise. "Some people aren't playing as hard as they should."
The road back to winning will be paved with sweat if the intensity lessons work, and according Necaise, the team is definitely capable of it.
"If we played to our capabilities we could be 6-1," said Necaise. "Arizona St. is the only team that's been better than us this year."
No. 13 Arizona St. crushed the Lady Tigers in 103-57 in Tempe on Friday, as they out-muscled Memphis on the boards with 54 rebounds to Memphis's 35 and shot just under 50 percent for the game.
A bright spot for Memphis was Necaise, who had her biggest scoring output of her career, scoring 28 points. The next leading scorer for the Tigers had only six.
The 28-point effort comes just after Necaise scored 19 in a 76-74 win over Lipscomb last week, in which Savage-Lansden said the team finally gave the effort they need to.
"We finally played hard," she said. "We won the second half, we made some defensive stops, we got some rebounds, and we really pushed through. Both teams were tired."
However, the effort didn't carry over.
"We pushed through the wall (against Lipscomb)," said Savage-Lansden. "I thought it was going to be something positive we could carry over to the weekend, but we didn't."
Departed guard Jennifer Sullivan, provided to vocal leadership last year, and this year Necaise is filling that role in hopes to help the team carry over the intensity from practice to game.
"Somebody's got to step up and do it," she said. "That's what the team needs right now. I'll do what I can for us to win.
"Leadership to me is the success of those around you. It's not about you."
Memphis will host UT-Martin tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Elma Roane Fieldhouse. World War II veterans will receive free admission.
