GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
At least, after Wednesday night, it can’t get any more difficult for the struggling LSU basketball team (12-7, 1-5 Southeastern Conference), according to the rankings at this point.
The Tigers host No. 1 Auburn (18-1, 6-0 SEC) tonight (6 p.m., SEC Network) in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center just after losing at No. 4 Alabama on Saturday. That game followed a loss at No. 10 Texas A&M the previous Saturday.
In a scheduling break at last, LSU will get to host an unranked team in the Texas Longhorns (14-6, 3-4 SEC) on Saturday (5 p.m., SEC Network), and the Tigers showed improvement in the 80-73 loss at Alabama. Then LSU will play four of its next five against other non-ranked SEC teams – at Georgia (15-6, 3-5) on Feb. 5, at Arkansas (12-8, 1-6) on Feb. 12, at Oklahoma (15-5, 2-5) on Feb. 15 and last place South Carolina (10-11, 0-8) at home on Feb. 18. The Tigers host No. 23 Ole Miss (15-5, 4-3 SEC) on Feb. 8.
“It was certainly not the result we desired,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said of the Alabama loss. “But I definitely think we took a step forward. There was a lot of progress made in some areas we spent a lot of time on. Defensively, we played with energy and toughness. We did a better job limiting the three-point shot against that explosive Alabama offense. So a lot of progress made, though, poor shooting.”
COREY CHEST SHOWED PROMISE AT ALABAMA FOR LSU
The Tigers outrebounded the nation’s No. 1 rebounding team in Alabama (44.7 a game) by 43-41, held the nation’s No. 1 scoring team (90.9 points a game) to 11 points below its average, and took more shots than the nation’s No. 1 possession team (78.8 possessions) by 71-61. Problem was LSU made only 28 shots and missed 20 of 23 from 3-point range, while Alabama hit 27 shots, including seven of 23 from beyond the arc, and hit five more free throws.
If LSU can match its physical play from that game against Auburn and shoot better, it may have a chance. Auburn, though, is No. 1 in the nation in blocked shots with 7.2 a game, No. 4 in assist-turnover ratio at 1.82 and No. 16 in scoring with 84 game.
Auburn is led by 6-foot-10 senior center Johni Broome’s 17.8 points and 10.9 rebounds a game. Senior Chad Baker-Mazara, a 6-7 guard, is averaging 12.8 points a game, and 6-1 freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford is scoring 11.8 a game.
“You have to be disciplined. You also have to be disruptive,” McMahon said. “It’s a tough assignment from the standpoint that they have such great balance. They have arguably the best player in the country to this point in Broome. And it seems everyone plays their role. There’s not just one thing that you can say you have to take away. Certainly, quite a challenge.”
LSU BASKETBALL VERSUS NO. 1
LSU last beat a No. 1 team in men’s basketball when it knocked off Duke, 62-54, on March 23, 2006, in Atlanta to reach the Elite Eight. Two nights later, the Tigers beat Texas to make it to their fourth Final Four and first under coach John Brady. … Brady also beat No. 1 Arizona, 66-65, on Dec. 21, 2002, at the Assembly Center. … LSU’s only other victory over No. 1 was by coach Dale Brown on Feb. 11, 1978, in the Assembly Center when his Tigers beat Kentucky, 95-94, in overtime after five LSU starters fouled out. Kentucky under coach Joe B. Hall went on to win its first national championship since 1958 that season. … LSU is 3-18 all time vs. No. 1. … The Tigers’ last game against the No. 1 team was played on Jan. 30, 2016, versus Oklahoma, which beat LSU, 77-75, in the Assembly Center. … Auburn will be the 11th No. 1 team to play LSU at the Assembly Center. The visitors are 8-2.
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