LSU Loses Reserve Guard Mike Williams III At Least Until SEC Season

GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU sophomore guard Mike Williams III has left the team, at least temporarily, after playing little this season amid the influx of three new NCAA Transfer Portal guards.

“Mike was just away from the team for personal reasons today,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said after LSU’s 86-70 win over UNO on Sunday afternoon. “Expect him to be back after Christmas.”

Williams (6-foot-3, 180) last played for the Tigers (10-2) six games ago against Northwestern State on Nov. 29, and that was for only two minutes and 11 seconds in a 77-53 blowout. Williams has played in five games, averaging 7.4 minutes a game with 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds a game. He is 2 of 16 from the field with five turnovers.

That is a far cry from last season when Williams started 22 games and played in 33, averaging 7.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 19.5 minutes a game. Williams scored 16 points with 2-of-5 shooting from 3-point range in a 109-88 loss last season at Alabama, which reached the Final Four.

Williams signed with LSU in 2023 as the No. 20 shooting guard in the nation and No. 119 overall prospect by 247sports.com out of Bishop Walsh High in Baltimore. He is the second guard to leave LSU this season after an influx of three guards from the NCAA Transfer Portal who have all started every game this season.

Junior Tyrell Ward (6-6, 195) left the team in early November just before the season started. He started 10 games last season, averaging 9.1 points and 2.3 assists in 21.7 minutes a game. He led LSU in 3-point shooting at 41 percent and was tied for the team lead in 3 pointers made at 52 of 126.

“Tyrell and I have decided that he will be stepping away from the program to focus on his mental health,” McMahon said in a statement before LSU’s season-opening win over Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 6 after Ward did not play in the Tigers’ exhibition opener the previous week.

“I do not anticipate him returning to competition this season,” McMahon said. “We are very appreciative of his contributions to our program, and will be supporting him every step of the way moving forward.”

Transfer guards Cam Carter, Jordan Sears and Dji Bailey have each started 12 of LSU’s 12 games this season. Carter leads the Tigers with 16.4 points in 33 minutes a game and is averaging 2.1 assists. Jordan Sears is averaging 14.6 points, 2.2 assists and 28.5 minutes a game. Dji Bailey is scoring 10.5 points a game and averaging 31.9 minutes a game.

Two freshman guards have also played well this season. Vyctorius Miller is averaging 11.3 points a game and logging 20.3 minutes a contest. Curtis Givens III is scoring 4.1 points with 1.8 assists a game in 13.2 minutes a contest.

LSU next plays Sunday against Mississippi Valley State (6 p.m., SEC Network+).