FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The LSU Tigers, still looking for its first win in SEC play, faces one of the hotter teams in the SEC Western Division when they meet the Arkansas Razorbacks Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Bud Walton Arena.
The game will be televised on the affiliates of the over-the-air SEC Network (WBXH in Baton Rouge) and on the radio affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network (New Country 100.7 FM The Tiger in Baton Rouge) as well as the GeauxZone at LSUsports.net.
The Razorbacks (12-11, 5-3) are in first place in the SEC Western Division having won four straight games including games over Western Division favorites Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The Tigers are 9-14 and 0-9 with an 11-game SEC regular season losing streak dating back to the final two games of a year ago.
“I think (head coach) John (Pelphrey) has done an outstanding job,” said LSU Head Coach Trent Johnson. “You look at the youth and inexperience they had last year and the problems they had off the court, then you look at this team now they’ve matured, they’re playing together and playing within themselves. (Courtney) Fortson is a good they get. This is a team that doesn’t surprise me because they were really talented last year.”
LSU has been led the last two games by Bo Spencer, the junior guard who has posted back-to-back 25 point games, including a career high nine field goals Saturday against Kentucky. Spencer is second on the team in scoring at 15.5 points per game. Tasmin Mitchell, on the quest for a possible 2,000 career points, is the team leader in scoring and third in the conference at 17.3 points per game. His 9.7 rebound average is also third in the country.
Fortson, who returned at the start of the 2010 portion of the season to play nine games, is averaging a team best 20.2 points a game. Rotnei Clark checks in with a 16.5 average and Marshawn Powell is averaging 15.3 points per game.
LSU will stay on the road this Saturday for a 12:47 p.m. game at Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gym in Nashville before a week off that will lead to the team’s next home game on Feb. 20 against Mississippi State.
LSU Basketball Media Session
Monday, February 8, 2010
HEAD COACH TRENT JOHNSON
Opening Statement …
“I think (head coach) John (Pelphrey) has done an outstanding job. You look at the youth and inexperience they had last year and the problems they had off the court, then you look at this team now they’ve matured, they’re playing together and playing within themselves. (Arkansas guard Marshawn) Powell is probably as good of a freshman as there is in our league and maybe in the country in terms of his productivity. He’s very impressive. (Arkansas) is playing very well right now. (Courtney) Fortson is a good as they get. This is a team that doesn’t surprise me because they were really talented last year. We’re going to go really hard today. We’re going to watch a little video tape and then get on the floor and work on some offensive and defensive stuff. Going back to the Kentucky game, one disappointment I had was their physicality intimidated us at times. It’s easier said than done against a team that has an edge to them like Kentucky.”
On whether he’s evaluating some of the younger players for next season …
“I’m consumed with trying to do whatever we can to put a kid or two in a situation to win the game. The guys that have been around college basketball for one or two years in our program like Garrett Green, Dennis Harris, Storm Warren or Chris Bass, you expect those guys not to have the mental breakdowns as much as they’ve had. Aaron (Dotson) and Eddie (Ludwig), in the perfect scenario, would be redshirt candidates. Now that they’ve been in this situation though, you expect more out of them. Sure you expect them to knock down open shots and make free throws. Before I evaluate guys like that or other coaches, I’m going to evaluate me, and I’ve always done that.”
On the importance of patience with this team …
“In terms of the whole team, you have to be patient. We’re doing the best we can. The guys aren’t trying to miss shots. We are who we are, and they are who they are. It’s hard in a situation like this when we’ve lost the amount of games we’ve lost. You have to be able to stay the course. I’m going to tell them that we have seven more to go, and we have to stay the course and accept responsibility for being in this situation. I think it’s important to me to keep educating a young team like that.”
On the continuing coaching battle to keep the team focused …
“For me it’s always continuing in regards to putting pressure on a kid to get better and develop, whether it’s social or academic or whatever. If a guy is not doing what he’s supposed to do then there is some accountability from my standpoint. There’s immediate frustration after a loss, but I don’t know what happens in the day between games, but they usually come back and work to the best of their ability. That speaks volumes to them as kids and as people.”
SEC NETWORK AFFILIATES
Birmingham-Tuscaloosa-Anniston, AL, WTTO, CW
Dothan, AL, WTVY, CW
Mobile-Pensacola (Ft Walt), AL, WJTC, NBC
Ft. Smith-Fay-Sprngdl-Rgrs, AR, KHBS, ABC
Ft. Smith-Fay-Sprngdl-Rgrs, AR, KHOG, ABC
Jonesboro, AR, KAIT, ABC
Little Rock-Pine Bluff, AR, KATV, ABC
Lexington, KY, WKYT, CBS
Baton Rouge, LA, WBXH, CBS
Lafayette, LA, LA, KLAF, MNT
New Orleans, LA, WUPL, CBS
Shreveport, LA, KMSS, FOX
Biloxi-Gulfport, MS, WXXV, FOX
Columbus-Tupelo- West Point, MS, WCBI, CBS
Jackson, MS, MS, WJTV-DT, CBS
Meridian, MS, EGBC, FOX
Toledo, OH, WMNT, MNT
Oklahoma City, OK, KXOC, IND
Jackson, TN, TN, JACKSON ENERGY, Cable
Tyler-Longview-Lfkn & Ncgd, TX, KLPN, MNT