Notebook: Schippers breaks out of shooting slump

In a tough loss to top ranked Baylor, Cowgirl guard Taylor Schippers was still able to recover from a recent shooting slump.

Schippers, who led OSU with 11 points on Wednesday night, set a goal to recover her shot.

"I was getting a lot of good looks," Schippers said. "I was in a slump. I figured I need to get out of it at some point."

The last time Schippers scored was on Feb. 1 at Iowa State. OSU coach Jim Littell was glad to see his player find an offensive rhythm.

"It's like the old baseball hitter that gets in a slump. You put more time in the batting cage," Littell said. "She spent more time in the gym and was rewarded for it."

What impressed Littell even more was the range at which Schippers could make a basket, and compared the freshman to a former Cowgirl star.

"We talked about a kid we had last year, Lakyn Garrison, and we talked about (beyond the arc) being ‘Lakyn Land'," Littell said. "(Schippers) has better range than what Lakyn had."

On LaShawn Jones's Development

Although Littell said it is tough for anybody to guard Brittney Griner, Baylor's 6-foot-8 junior center, one Cowgirl stood out above the rest defensively.

"I thought LaShawn Jones was the best defensively we had on Griner," Littell said.

Jones, a freshman center, gathered 4 rebounds and a steal in her time on the floor. When Jones was in the game with 6:00 to play in the first half to when she was subbed out with 47 seconds left in half, Griner failed to score a single field goal.

"(Jones) was physical, put a body on (Griner), and got a hand in the passing lane," Littell said. "I thought (Jones) was very physical, played hard, and was going to challenge shots."

As conference play continues, Littell will look to the freshman to be a defensive force in the paint.

"I really believe she's going to be a nice player for us in the future," Littell said.

Team Falls With Outside-In Game Plan

With the intimidating interior defense brought about by Brittney Griner and the Baylor Bears, Oklahoma State's women's basketball team needed a different approach to attack the Bears' defense. 

Coach Jim Littell said the emphasis for the offense was on ball rotation and getting open looks outside of the paint rather than giving Griner a chance at a block down low.

"I've heard teams say ‘go at her, go at her,'" Littell said.  "Her timing is so good and her ability to not leave her feet too early is great."

The Cowgirls had relative success with this plan early on in the game, sinking two three-pointers in the early minutes, but that plan quickly fizzled when the team failed to make open shots. 

"I think the score doesn't show exactly how we played," Littell said.  "But, in the end, we just didn't make shots."