By Kent Lowe
Special to LSUsports.net
Okay. Lets think back to November. The beginning of the 1999-2000 season. I believe I said something about looking for 16 wins for this to be a successful season.
Well, now that were past that number one can only ask — Where do we go from here?
The last time the Tigers were at home you may remember, the fans stormed the court for the first time in over 20 years concluding a week in which LSU demolished Arkansas and drubbed fifth-ranked Arizona.
So the Tigers were set for a road trip in which they would go to Mississippi State and Alabama in hopes of ending a road-losing streak that was entering the second week of its second year. For 35 of the 40 minutes LSU played on the road last week, they were the much better team. Much better. Unfortunately, the last five minutes against Mississippi State spelled the reason LSU only won once last week.
But in losing to Mississippi State, the Tigers began to realize that their backs were leaning against the wall a little bit. Practice didnt happen Thursday because of several nagging injuries and practice Friday wasnt what it was supposed to be, so it was up to the players to see how they would respond to the situation and respond they did.
The win over Alabama by a 93-60 score was the biggest in an SEC road game by LSU since the 76-41 win over Kentucky back in the mid-1980s and was the worst Alabama had ever suffered in Coleman Coliseum. There were dunks, three-pointers, multiple assists, run-outs and frankly, it was the most dominating performance I have seen this LSU team have.
So LSU is 4-4 and alone in second place entering the week with two home games against difficult opponents — Auburn and Kentucky. The final four weeks of the season have arrived and with it the future of the LSU season is at hand.
LSU should go to a postseason tournament. The question is which shall it be. As I mentioned two weeks ago when trying to project ahead, I said it was important for LSU to be 5-5 entering the final six games. LSU would then need to win its remaining two home games and one road game to get to 8-8 and 21 overall wins which with the tournament still to come may be enough to put LSU in position to get back to the big dance.
But even on the second weekend of February it is just a little too soon to start all this speculating because a lot can happen. LSU really needs to finish no worst than second in the West in hopes to be part of the six-teams which will probably be in the NCAA Tournament.
I still struggle sometimes to believe Im really writing a column about things like the NCAA Tournament in the second week of February. The last six years have been kind of quiet about this time of year. The season began to wind down and Id prop myself up in front of the television and be a couch potato watching the tournament for three weeks. No regrets. Just lots of pizza and soft drinks.
Now I catch myself looking at the regional sites every once in a while and think, gee it would be nice to go there. Boy, I dont want to go to Cleveland. But I think Im getting the cart before the horse, so to speak.
Maybe we all are. Wins are very tough to come by in this league and this week will be no exception. LSU will need to be working on all cylinders to have a chance against the opponents that step on the Maravich Assembly Center floor. If the Tigers are. . . .Cleveland?
What all this says is that John Brady and this team deserves every accolade it can receive. Brady should be the league Coach of the Year, but whether he has enough pull to get the votes of the other league coaches remains to be seen. It really doesnt matter, the fans packing the PMAC again the last month realize the job the coach and the players are doing. A new day is dawned and one can only imagine what the future holds once LSU can get back on an even keel scholarship and signing wise with the rest of the SEC.
All I know is that it was a wonderful trip home from Tuscaloosa for the many LSU fans who made the trip. Heres hoping there a few more fun moments for us all to enjoy this week. As always, enjoy the game!!!!