SE: Beard Providing K-State WBB with Key Energy; A Look at Battle with Lamar
Dec 05, 2018 | Women's Basketball, Sports Extra
By Corbin McGuire
Jasauen Beard's game can probably best be summed up with one word: Energy. Freshman guard Christianna Carr said it five times when asked about Beard, a junior-transfer for K-State's women's basketball team.
"She's definitely an energy type of player," Carr said, as K-State (5-2) hosts Lamar on Wednesday at 7 p.m. "She brings energy when it's needed."
Beard, however, said she's not always been that type of player. In fact, she used to be the one who fed off those types of teammates. Maturity, more than anything, helped her form her current identity.
"In the beginning of my basketball career, I was the kid that got down on myself so much to where I needed those players. That's what kind of led me to be that player," Beard said. "I've matured, and I've noticed that when I've had younger teammates who may be that player that gets down on themselves and needs that person to uplift them and give them the energy or some motivation, some positivity, so I've kind of put that into my game."
Paired with her impressive athleticism, Beard's endless energy makes life difficult for whoever she's guarding. Carr pointed to a situation in K-State's win against Vanderbilt on Sunday where Beard guarded multiple players on a possession, including one who was someone else's responsibility.
"That's just the kind of mindset I feel like our team will catch on to, that gritty mentality of, I'm going to get after it," she said. "That's one thing she brings to the table really well is just energy and that grit to go get the ball and go do something with it."
Offensively, Beard possesses a quick first step and a mindset to attack the rim without much hesitation. She currently leads the team in free throw attempts.
"She's definitely someone I can rely on a lot. I look to her a lot and am, like, 'Go score. Quit messing around with the person across from you. Quit messing around with the play. Just go score,'" senior guard Kayla Goth said. "She has that capability."
Boxing her out is an extreme challenge as well, evidenced by the fact that she ranks third on the team in offensive rebounds.
"One of the main reasons our rebounding numbers have improved has to do with her," Goth said. "She provides a huge boost."
"Her rebounding ability is amazing. That's something I've looked up to," Carr added. "She's definitely motivated me to become a better rebounder."
Beard has shown glimpses of what she can do this season. She had 12 points, five rebounds, two steals and two assists in her season debut against Omaha. She also scored 29 points between a pair of games against ranked opponents in Syracuse and DePaul.
Statistically, Beard may just be scratching the surface of what she can provide K-State. She's currently shooting 52.5 percent from the field, second-best on the team (minimum 15 shot attempts). Her 0.36 points-per-minute trail only Peyton Williams (0.46) and Carr (0.38).
What Beard is now trying to find is a balance. She knows there's a difference between playing hard, trying to provide a spark, and being reckless.
For example, Beard has seen her minutes limited the past two games due to foul trouble. Her turnover totals, at times, have also been high.
"I got a charge recently when we played DePaul and it was simply because I was going hard to the basket," she said, "and that's where I do need to draw the line and be able to slow myself down in times like that."
To improve both these areas, and therefore give her more minutes and her team more production out of those minutes, Beard said she has to use her energetic nature in a more controlled way.
"My focus is going to be solely on fundamentals and trying to execute things by not just playing basketball but thinking basketball, thinking the game," she said. "For example, on passes, not turning the ball over because I'm just going too fast and I see the play. But is it the right play to make at the time? So slowing myself down in order to think while I'm playing basketball."
A Look at Lamar
Lamar will not lack any momentum coming into Bramlage Coliseum on Wednesday night. The Cardinals (5-3) are coming off a 74-68 win over No. 17 Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, on November 29.
In its notable road win, Lamar turned Texas A&M over 20 times that turned into 20 points. The Cardinals got 23 points from Chastadie Barrs, who also had four steals, and 20 points from Miya Crump. Moe Kinard, the team's leading scorer for the season (20.4 PPG), added in 15. Earlier this season, she broke out for 58 points in a double-overtime loss at Denver.
"I don't even know what to say about that," Mittie said, with a laugh on Tuesday, of Kinard's 58-point outing. "I watched that entire game again last night; I had already watched the clips and everything, but she just gets shots up whenever she wants."
For the most part, so does the entire Lamar team. The Cardinals rank 17th in the country in scoring offense (84.5 PPG) behind their up-tempo attack, which includes nearly 28 shot attempts from beyond the arc a game.
"They play at a pace that is almost like they don't even take the ball out of bounds. We'll have to practice old-school pick-up (basketball) where you just take it out of the net and go because that's how they play," Mittie said. "They really understand, offensively, what they're trying to get. They're just trying to get shots up, and they're taking the first good one. We're going to have to be ready because in the A&M game, in particular, I thought they surprised them with just quick shots."
Lamar also ranks second in the country in turnover margin and fourth in steals per game. Barrs leads her team's pesky defense with 36 steals this season, the second most by any player in the nation.
"Defensively, they create a lot of havoc. She's quick, she's athletic, and she has a good feel for when she can attack other people's dribble," Mittie said of Barrs. "Defensively, they just kind of leave a couple of people hanging around the paint. It'll be a challenge for us, discipline-wise, because you're going to have open shots and you're going to have open plays that they want you to have. They want to bait you into that quick tempo, and we're going to have to find a balance between taking good open shots and maybe making them guard for a little longer than they want to."
Jasauen Beard's game can probably best be summed up with one word: Energy. Freshman guard Christianna Carr said it five times when asked about Beard, a junior-transfer for K-State's women's basketball team.
"She's definitely an energy type of player," Carr said, as K-State (5-2) hosts Lamar on Wednesday at 7 p.m. "She brings energy when it's needed."
Beard, however, said she's not always been that type of player. In fact, she used to be the one who fed off those types of teammates. Maturity, more than anything, helped her form her current identity.
"In the beginning of my basketball career, I was the kid that got down on myself so much to where I needed those players. That's what kind of led me to be that player," Beard said. "I've matured, and I've noticed that when I've had younger teammates who may be that player that gets down on themselves and needs that person to uplift them and give them the energy or some motivation, some positivity, so I've kind of put that into my game."
Paired with her impressive athleticism, Beard's endless energy makes life difficult for whoever she's guarding. Carr pointed to a situation in K-State's win against Vanderbilt on Sunday where Beard guarded multiple players on a possession, including one who was someone else's responsibility.
"That's just the kind of mindset I feel like our team will catch on to, that gritty mentality of, I'm going to get after it," she said. "That's one thing she brings to the table really well is just energy and that grit to go get the ball and go do something with it."
Offensively, Beard possesses a quick first step and a mindset to attack the rim without much hesitation. She currently leads the team in free throw attempts.
"She's definitely someone I can rely on a lot. I look to her a lot and am, like, 'Go score. Quit messing around with the person across from you. Quit messing around with the play. Just go score,'" senior guard Kayla Goth said. "She has that capability."
Boxing her out is an extreme challenge as well, evidenced by the fact that she ranks third on the team in offensive rebounds.
"One of the main reasons our rebounding numbers have improved has to do with her," Goth said. "She provides a huge boost."
"Her rebounding ability is amazing. That's something I've looked up to," Carr added. "She's definitely motivated me to become a better rebounder."
Beard has shown glimpses of what she can do this season. She had 12 points, five rebounds, two steals and two assists in her season debut against Omaha. She also scored 29 points between a pair of games against ranked opponents in Syracuse and DePaul.
Statistically, Beard may just be scratching the surface of what she can provide K-State. She's currently shooting 52.5 percent from the field, second-best on the team (minimum 15 shot attempts). Her 0.36 points-per-minute trail only Peyton Williams (0.46) and Carr (0.38).
What Beard is now trying to find is a balance. She knows there's a difference between playing hard, trying to provide a spark, and being reckless.
For example, Beard has seen her minutes limited the past two games due to foul trouble. Her turnover totals, at times, have also been high.
"I got a charge recently when we played DePaul and it was simply because I was going hard to the basket," she said, "and that's where I do need to draw the line and be able to slow myself down in times like that."
To improve both these areas, and therefore give her more minutes and her team more production out of those minutes, Beard said she has to use her energetic nature in a more controlled way.
"My focus is going to be solely on fundamentals and trying to execute things by not just playing basketball but thinking basketball, thinking the game," she said. "For example, on passes, not turning the ball over because I'm just going too fast and I see the play. But is it the right play to make at the time? So slowing myself down in order to think while I'm playing basketball."
A Look at Lamar
Lamar will not lack any momentum coming into Bramlage Coliseum on Wednesday night. The Cardinals (5-3) are coming off a 74-68 win over No. 17 Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, on November 29.
In its notable road win, Lamar turned Texas A&M over 20 times that turned into 20 points. The Cardinals got 23 points from Chastadie Barrs, who also had four steals, and 20 points from Miya Crump. Moe Kinard, the team's leading scorer for the season (20.4 PPG), added in 15. Earlier this season, she broke out for 58 points in a double-overtime loss at Denver.
"I don't even know what to say about that," Mittie said, with a laugh on Tuesday, of Kinard's 58-point outing. "I watched that entire game again last night; I had already watched the clips and everything, but she just gets shots up whenever she wants."
For the most part, so does the entire Lamar team. The Cardinals rank 17th in the country in scoring offense (84.5 PPG) behind their up-tempo attack, which includes nearly 28 shot attempts from beyond the arc a game.
"They play at a pace that is almost like they don't even take the ball out of bounds. We'll have to practice old-school pick-up (basketball) where you just take it out of the net and go because that's how they play," Mittie said. "They really understand, offensively, what they're trying to get. They're just trying to get shots up, and they're taking the first good one. We're going to have to be ready because in the A&M game, in particular, I thought they surprised them with just quick shots."
Lamar also ranks second in the country in turnover margin and fourth in steals per game. Barrs leads her team's pesky defense with 36 steals this season, the second most by any player in the nation.
"Defensively, they create a lot of havoc. She's quick, she's athletic, and she has a good feel for when she can attack other people's dribble," Mittie said of Barrs. "Defensively, they just kind of leave a couple of people hanging around the paint. It'll be a challenge for us, discipline-wise, because you're going to have open shots and you're going to have open plays that they want you to have. They want to bait you into that quick tempo, and we're going to have to find a balance between taking good open shots and maybe making them guard for a little longer than they want to."
Players Mentioned
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