Three straight turnovers to start the second half were three too many, and Tate reminded her players that they couldn't win if they couldn't hold onto the ball long enough to take shots.
Hough was wasting too many possessions, and what has been somewhat of a recurring theme this year remained consistent throughout the 43-41 first-round tournament loss to the Jaguars at the Charlotte Sports Commission Hardwood Classic at Bojangles' Coliseum. Hough committed 27 turnovers — about double what would be acceptable — including two within 25 seconds down the stretch, which cost it a late lead and, ultimately, the game.
"We had too many turnovers at the end," said Hough junior guard Brandi Arey. "We were up and could have held the ball. I feel like we need to finish more."
It's been a tough and somewhat puzzling early season for the Huskies, a promising team that won 18 games last year and returned virtually everyone, including a cast of talented sophomores who played many minutes as varsity freshmen. The Huskies set the bar high in their inaugural season, but this year, it hasn't clicked for a team expected to challenge for the I-Meck Conference title. Not yet, anyway.
At 5-5 through Tuesday's game, the Huskies were to play two more tournament games in Charlotte before returning to the remaining 11 games of their I-Meck schedule. And while all hasn't gone well this season, there's still plenty of time to get things turned around.
The Huskies aren't in danger of becoming irrelevant in the conference race, they just haven't played the way they have previously proven they can. It's not for lack of effort or desire. It happens. Call it a sophomore slump perhaps.
The number of empty possessions has been the biggest issue. At times, the Huskies haven't taken care of the basketball, whether it's been while handling it, passing it or when selecting shots. Those issues merit pointing out because they weren't a factor last year, or at least not to the degree they are this season.
When the Huskies have protected the ball and moved it properly, good things have happened. Against Forestview, for instance, sound decisions and crisp ball movement led to four easy lay-ups in the third quarter for sophomore center Julia Brown, who finished with 18 points and 18 rebounds and had the assist on the other basket in the third, on a play in which the ball zipped through the defense. Those plays are trademark Hough, when the Huskies run their offense and pass with purpose.
Through good and bad so far, the bottom line is this: Hough remains a dangerous team, one that has much more experience than its roster indicates, a roster that includes one senior and one other junior besides Arey. If the Huskies can fill in some gaps and limit their mistakes, don't be surprised if they get on a run. That's within their reach.
"We have a lot of potential," says Arey. "We're young, but I feel like that's not an excuse any more. We just need to not make the mistakes any more."
One thing is for sure, the Huskies are determined to figure it out and turn things around.
"We practice hard," says sophomore guard Anna Diggs. "We've just got to keep trying to play better. It'll come eventually."
And if it does, the early-season struggles will be long forgotten, mere stepping stones on the sometimes bumpy path to success.
