KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The LSU men’s basketball looks to find its “competitive edge,” but it will have to do it on the road here beginning Wednesday night against the University of Tennessee.
The game, at Tennessee’s massive Thompson-Boling Arena is set for to tip off at just after 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. Baton Rouge time) in a game regionally televised by the SEC Network (Louisiana affiliates: Baton Rouge – WBXH; Lafayette – KLAF-Tape Delay; New Orleans -WUPL; Shreveport – KSHV). The radio broadcast is on the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network (WTGE New Country 100.7 FM The Tiger in Baton Rouge) and at LSUsports.net/live.
LSU is 10-9 on the season and 2-2 in the league, but coming off losses where the first half at Kentucky and the second half last Saturday against Ole Miss really set the Tigers back on their competitive heels. That’s why finding the competitive edge has been a priority for the LSU coaching staff since the Ole Miss contest as the team goes on the road this week for games in Knoxville and Tuscaloosa Saturday to face Alabama.
“Right now the main emphasis is getting our competitive edge to where we can sustain something against somebody who is good for a consistent period of time,” said LSU Coach Trent Johnson. “I fully expect us to compete very, very hard on Wednesday. If we make a couple of shots we’ll have our chances, but Tennessee is without question a very good basketball team, probably as talented a team in this league. You don’t beat Villanova and Pittsburgh and Georgia on the road without being very talented and skilled. We need to make sure we get off the deck and compete at a high level.”
Tennessee is 12-7 on the year and 2-2 in the SEC and this will be the fifth of eight SEC games that head coach Bruce Pearl will not be allowed to have game-day contact or coach the Volunteers during his suspension handed down by the conference office. Associate Head Coach Tony Jones will lead the Vols who are led by Scotty Hopson who is averaging 16.2 points per game and Tobias Harris at 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds.
The Vols are coming off a non-conference 72-61 loss at No. 8 Connecticut on Saturday, but won its last SEC game, 59-57, at Georgia.
The Tigers, at 2-2, are tied for second in the SEC Western Division entering league play this week, behind division leading Alabama who is at 4-1.
LSU’s injury situation remains very fluid after Monday’s practice. Storm Warren, who has been nursing tendonitis in his right Achilles since the Jan. 2 Virginia game, was placed in a boot after the Ole Miss game and his status is questionable for Wednesday’s contest. Ralston Turner, on the other hand, was able to go through parts of practice for the first time on Monday since suffering a right foot stress reaction in the same Virginia game and may be cleared to dress for at least one of the games this week.
So the LSU lineup remains in flux but the Tigers continue to get good play from freshman Matt Derenbecker, who has filled in for Turner and is averaging11.3 points in the four SEC games (6.1 for the season) … Garrett Green, whose best games in the last month have come from off the bench, is averaging 11.5 points in conference play … Andre Stringer, who had three treys in the Ole Miss game, is averaging 12.9 points per contest.
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