BATON ROUGE — The LSU men’s basketball team has a chance to win its fourth consecutive game Wednesday night in when it hosts Alabama in the home finale for the 2007-08 season.
The game is set for a 7 p.m. tipoff and will be regionally televised on Cox Sports TV (CST). The radio broadcast will be available as usual on the LSU Sports Radio Network, in the “GeauxZone” at LSUsports.net and on the SEC Channels at XM Satellite Radio.
During the game, the all-decade teams from the 1940s through 2000 were chosen by the fans voting on LSUsports.net and those 10-person teams will be announced. Tickets for the game are on sale at the LSUsports.net website for $14 for adults and $5 for youth (ages 3-12).
LSU comes into the game tied for third in the SEC Western Division with a 12-16 overall record and a 5-9 mark league play. The Tigers have won three straight including a 69-49 win over Ole Miss, a 62-55 triumph at South Carolina and Sunday’s 71-64 win over Georgia at the Maravich Center. Alabama is 15-14 overall, 4-10 in the Western Division after a 91-88 loss at the hands of Ole Miss in Oxford on Saturday.
The Tigers, 4-3 under interim Head Coach Butch Pierre, has gotten the best of several worlds in the last three games including plenty of blocked shots from Chris Johnson, improved scoring and defense from Anthony Randolph, expected scoring from Marcus Thornton and defensive expertise of Garrett Temple.
Against Georgia, Johnson had 15 rebounds and seven blocks, while Randolph scored 19 points. Thornton became the first LSU player in 12 years to have two 30-plus point games in a season since 1996 and Temple held Sundiata Gaines to just four points before he was ejected from the game.
Now after losing five straight at home in the league, the Tigers look to win for the third straight time to close the season on an abbreviated “Senior Night” when no players will be honored but senior managers Chris Heine and Jason Reed will be honored in ceremonies prior to the game. LSU has won nine straight final home games, but this will be one of LSU’s toughest closing game tests.
“Our team is looking forward to playing Alabama at home,” said Pierre. “It’s our last home game. Alabama is a team that is very talented with a lot of depth, size and athleticism. They are probably the most athletic teams in the league along with Arkansas. We have to try to match their physical toughness with Richard Hendrix, Alonzo Gee and Mykal Riley. Those guys have played in a lot of games and are having a good year. We have to be ready to play.”
Alabama won the first meeting of the two teams at the first of February, 81-72 in Tuscaloosa. Thornton had 22 points to lead LSU while Johnson and Randolph each had 13 points. Richard Hendrix and Mykal Riley led Alabama with 19 points apiece. The game was in balance until the final few minutes when Bama’s Brandon Hollinger hit a three late in the shot clock and then hit another long field goal to ice the game for the Tide.
The Tigers closes the regular season on Saturday at Mississippi State in a 3 p.m. contest televised by Raycom Sports. LSU then will begin play in the SEC Tournament at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Thursday, March 13, at a time to be determined.