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There were not many superlatives from Louisiana College head coach Patrece Carter following her team's 68-59 loss to Hardin-Simmons in the Wildcats' home opener.
 
"We didn't show up," Carter said. "They didn't decide they wanted to play until there were about three minutes left. We've had that in three of our four losses."
 
Coming off 73-59 loss at Division I McNeese State Tuesday, Carter felt her young team, which features eight freshmen, four sophomores, a junior and one senior (Anna Phillips) who didn't play Thursday, had turned the corner in terms of understanding the intensity required to play basketball at the college level.
 
"That's what it is," she said. "They haven't been pushing each other in practice. I've tried everything. I've got to find another way."
 
The Wildcats, now 0-4 on the season, fell behind in their conference opener 17-11 after the first quarter and trailed 38-28 at the half. HSU extended its lead to the largest of the game, 20 points, midway through the third and led 58-42 heading to the fourth.
 
In the new women's college basketball format of four 10-minute quarters instead of two 20-minute halves, the Lady Cats did show flashes of quality in the fourth quarter, as they outscored Hardin-Simmons 17-10.
 
Leading the way for LC was freshman Rometta Lombard of Covington. The point guard scored six of her 10 points in the fourth quarter and finished the game with 10 points, five steals and two assists. Another Covington product, sophomore Brooke Jones, led the Wildcats in scoring with 14 and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
 
But rebounds for the night were otherwise hoarded by Hardin-Simmons' guard Kayla Brown, who had 18 boards and 14 points, and center Addision Garcia, who finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds. HSU out-rebounded LC 52-37 for the game. Kourtney Holyfield was the game's high scorer as she scored 18 for Hardin-Simmons, which improved to 2-4 on the season.
 
Carter, who said she has called other coaches trying to figure out how to inspire her young and inexperienced team, will only get one day to figure things out before the Wildcats play again Saturday when they host McMurry at H. O. West Field House at 1 p.m.
 
"Once we get it, I know we won't look back," Carter said. "Intensity and being a champion are a mindset. Champions think differently than everyone else. They've still got to learn that."