GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
“These days, I’m feeling all right, except I can’t tell my courage from my desperation.”
— Bruce Springsteen’s “Local Hero” single from the 1992 “Lucky Town” album.
Call tonight’s LSU-Arkansas basketball game in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (8 p.m., SEC Network) the “Desperation Bowl.”
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The Tigers are 11-5 and 0-3 in the Southeastern Conference. The Razorbacks, who were once ranked No. 16 in the Associated Press poll, are also 11-5 and 0-3 in the league. Someone’s going to get lucky.
“Both teams will be playing with great desperation,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said on his weekly radio show on Monday night. “First win in league play on the line.”
Not to mention a limited number of chances against equal opponents so far on the horizon for LSU. The Tigers play at No. 11 Texas A&M (13-3, 2-1 SEC) on Saturday, then at No. 4 Alabama (14-2, 3-0) the next Saturday before hosting No. 1 Auburn (15-1, 3-0) on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
“Every game’s a one-game season,” McMahon said. “Obviously, don’t want to be there (at 0-3), but there’s still a lot of basketball left to be played. Got to find ways to win. That has to be the approach going into the Arkansas game. Thankful to get back home.”
LSU lost at Ole Miss Saturday following a loss at Missouri on Wednesday after losing to Vanderbilt at home in the league opener. The main culprit for LSU has been turnovers – an average of 15 a game so far in the SEC.
McMahon has never been 0-4 in the SEC after two seasons at LSU. He got off to a 1-0 start in his first season before a fall to 1-13 and a 2-16 finish. He was 3-1 last year before finishing 9-9.
“We’ve got to find a way to limit turnovers and get those numbers way down to give us an opportunity to win,” McMahon said.
LSU replaced starting senior point guard Jordan Sears with freshman TJ Givens III at Ole Miss Saturday with limited impact, as Sears ended up playing more. Sears scored 10 points with six assists, three steals and four turnovers in 35 minutes. Givens scored six points with two assists and three turnovers in 21 minutes.
“It was not a demotion or a promotion,” McMahon said. “Curtis’ floor game has been consistently better, and Jordan had been getting in early foul trouble.”
McMahon did say little-used sophomore guard Mike Williams III will play more against Arkansas. He has averaged just 5.8 minutes and played in only eight games this season, missing one for personal reasons. Williams scored seven points with a rebound and a steal in three minutes at Ole Miss.
“I would expect him to see more floor time,” McMahon said. “He has practiced well. I expect him to play a bigger role starting Tuesday night.”
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