JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — One day after a 16-point win over Iona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the LSU Tigers went through about a 65-minute closed practice Friday at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum as LSU’s traveling road show closed out preparations for Saturday’s round of 32 contest against Texas A&M.
LSU, the fourth seed in the Atlanta region, is 24-8 after the 80-64 win, tied for the fifth-most wins in school history in a single season while the Aggies, the 12th seed, come in at 22-8 after upsetting fifth seed Syracuse, 66-58.
The two teams will meet in the second game of the doubleheader here at approximately 4:50 p.m. CST in a game to be regionally televised by CBS Sports in their third of four regional telecast windows on Saturday.
The radio broadcast of the game will be available on the LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates and in the “Geaux Zone powered by USAgencies” at LSUsports.net.
The winner of the contest will go to Atlanta and the Georgia Dome for the regional semifinals next Thursday night.
The Tigers appeared loose and ready to play again in their session with the various media in town for the game. When asked about his team being a fun and entertaining group of guys, Coach John Brady said: “Nothing is sacred in our locker room. Try to get serious with that team. Glen (Davis) will break that all down in a heartbeat. They have been good for me though. For some of you guys that know me, you know they have been good for me. That’s a good group to coach. I just hope the traveling road show will continue after Saturday.”
In beating Iona, Glen Davis, the SEC Player of the Year, has recorded 19 double doubles including a 22-point, 13 rebound effort against the Gaels. It was his 12th game over 20 points this season. But in addition, Darrel Mitchell had 19 points and six assists and Tasmin Mitchell had a season best six assists to go with his sixth straight double figure scoring game.
But most importantly, LSU got 20 minutes from Tyrus Thomas in his first action since suffering a high ankle sprain in the first half of the Feb. 25 game in Baton Rouge against Kentucky. Thomas had nine points, eighth rebounds and three blocks.
“His play, along with the zone defense,” said Brady, “changed the game last night in terms of his shot blocking ability.”
On when he knew Thomas was back, Darrel Michell said, “I think it was when he got the dunk off the pass that I gave him, and then when he came out and got those blocks in the second half.”
“I feel fine,” Thomas, the SEC Freshman of the Year, said. “I think my ankle healed up well. I feel I am ready to play.”
It is expected that LSU will again bring Thomas off the bench in the second round contest with Darnell Lazare starting along side Glen Davis and Tasmin Mitchell at the forward positions and Garrett Temple and Darrel Mitchell at the guards.
But all talk on the day before the game was coming back to Davis who delighted the media crowd for several minutes on topics such as football, Shaquille O’Neal, his sense of humor to keep the team loose and food…oh yea, rhythm.
“Any competitor that is in a rhythm feels they can’t be stopped,” Davis said. “You make your first couple of shots and you want the ball again.”
Davis will be match up probably against the Aggies, Joseph Jones, who comes in at 6-9, 250 pounds. “It’s going to be a collision out there. Two competitors going out there. Whoever has the strongest will, will be successful,” said Davis.
“When you play a guy like (Davis), he has such a great physical presence, a high skill level and basketball IQ,” said A&M Coach Billy Gillispie. “He really knows how to play. He really knows how to post and to score. You can’t stop a guy like that. You just have to hope he doesn’t totally destroy you. If you do too much and send too many guys his way he is a great passer. He just knows how to put the ball in the basket and make everyone better.”
“Texas A&M is a very good basketball team that plays in a great league,” said LSU Coach John Brady. “They are very well-coached. I think they are similar to our team in some ways. They have a very good player around the goal and a very good guard out front, just like we do Our team and our coaching staff have a lot of respect for A&M and how the play the game. They are similar to us in some ways because we approach things the same way. The base of their team is defending, rebounding, taking care of the ball and getting quality shots.”
LSU has advanced to the second round for the first time since 2000, while the Aggies are in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1980.
Acie Law IV is the leading scorer for the Aggies at 15.9 points per game and the first-team All-Big 12 guard is one of four Aggies in school history to score 1,000 career points with 300 assists and 100 steals. Jones is averaging 15.8 points per game.
NCAA Single-Game Leaders
Through Friday
Scoring
35 – Adam Morrison, Gonzaga vs. Xavier, first round
34 – Marcelus Kemp, Nevada vs. Montana, first round
31 – Jean Felix, Alabama vs. Marquette, first round
30 – Christian Maraker, Pacific vs. Boston College, first round
29 – J.J. Redick, Duke vs. Southern, first round
29 – Shelden Williams, Duke vs. Southern, first round
28 – Brandon Roy, Washington vs. Utah State, first round
27 – Maurice Ager, Michigan State vs. George Mason, first round
26 – Boo Davis, Wisconsin-Milwaukee vs. Oklahoma, first round
26 – Ian Johnson, Davidson vs. Ohio State, first round
Rebounds
18 – Shelden Williams, Duke vs. Southern, first round
14 – Nate Harris, Utah State vs. Washington, first round
14 – Will Thomas, George Mason vs. Michigan State, first round
13 – Glen Davis, LSU vs. Iona, first round
13 – Terence Dials, Ohio State vs. Davidson, first round
13 – Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh vs. Kent State, first round
13 – Al Horford, Florida vs. South Alabama, first round
13 – Torrell Martin, Winthrop vs. Tennessee, first round
13 – Craig Smith, Boston College vs. Pacific, first round
13 – J.J. Sullinger, Ohio State vs. Davidson, first round
Assists
11 – Terrell Everett, Oklahoma vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee, first round
10 – Dee Brown, Illinois vs. Air Force, first round
9 – Tyler Azzarelli, Monmouth, N.J. vs. Hampton, opening round
9 – John Goldsberry, North Carolina-Wilmington vs. George Washington, first round
9 – Kenny Grant, Davidson vs. Ohio State, first round
9 – Louis Hinnant, Boston College vs. Pacific, first round
9 – Carl Krauser, Pittsburgh vs. Kent State, first round
9 – Mustafa Shakur, Arizona vs. Wisconsin, first round
8 – Drew Neitzel, Michigan State vs. George Mason, first round
8 – Greg Paulus, Duke vs. Southern, first round
8 – Luke Rogers, Northwestern State vs. Iowa, first round
8 – Ronald Steele, Alabama vs. Marquette, first round
8 – Marcus Williams, Connecticut vs. Albany, N.Y., first round
8 – Richie Williams, San Diego State vs. Indiana, first round