After 24 years on the job as LSU men’s basketball sports information director, I have certain gut feelings. I had one about 15 minutes before the start of Friday’s quarterfinal game in the SEC Tournament against Kentucky.
It began with something I noticed in the second half against Arkansas on Thursday in the New Orleans Arena. The Tigers were hustling, playing with effort. They were loose and excited to be playing. Arkansas fell, 70-54. A good result indeed.
But that meant No. 1 Kentucky was in the way. Oh yeah, and that loud crowd they bring to each and every stop on the Big Blue Tour.
LSU lost the battle, 60-51, in the SEC quarterfinals, but while everyone hates moral victories, this was a game that showed all the potential this LSU team has as it looks forward to this year. Not that this year is necessarily over, but this is the game that shows the potential and future of this LSU program under coach Trent Johnson with five players with significant starts back for next season.
The things that make me proud of this team today:
How about Anthony Hickey? He was much more relaxed and in control today against the Wildcats than in the first meeting, and did he respond. Ten points, four assists, five steals. He had Kentucky’s guards looking around for the ball after he stole it like they were shocked that someone could actually do something like that to them.
Kentucky fans were asking how they let Mr. Basketball get away as they admired his handiwork on the court.
Nine turnovers is a wonderful number against the Wildcats any day of the week. While Kentucky did get eight points off the Tigers’ nine miscues, LSU posted 16 points off the 18 Kentucky turnovers.
I have to mention three seniors who may or may not have played their last game in an LSU uniform – Chris Bass, Malcolm White and Storm Warren. There is not one bad thing I can say about each of them regarding their basketball on the court or their personality off of it.
Bass has been the point guard there when needed, with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio for each of his four years as a Tiger.
White has been needed in big moments both years at LSU and he had some good scoring games but he was an important player for this team time and again, especially once he understood that in limited minutes he could make good contributions to the success of this 2011-12 team.
Warren is one of those guys in the league who you think has been at LSU for longer than four years and there are times you wish he was. He has contributed every year big points, like the two free throws he made with 1.2 left to beat Houston at Houston. His 14 points, six boards against the Wildcats was a perfect example of his career, solid, strong and ready to go at a moment’s notice. If he needed to be a cheerleader on the bench that was fine with him. He will also go down as one of just three to ever have 500 rebounds, 100 blocks and 100 steals in his career.
For the second time in three games, the winning team went without a field goal for a long period at the end of the game. At Auburn last weekend, the Auburn Tigers won 67-52 despite not having a field goal the last 10 minutes. This time Kentucky didn’t have a field goal the last 5:19 of the second half. In other words, the Wildcats were scoring on a constant march to the free throw line. Kentucky finished 23-33, while LSU was 8-10. For the season, opponents made 51 more free throws against 73 attempts.
So what does anyone think? Well, I can read people like C. M. Newton and Bob Weltlich’s minds as far as LSU’s chance to make an NIT field. I’m not sure it is going to be that easy to find a solid 68 teams to go in the NCAA bracket. Surely LSU is one of the next 32 best in the country. They deserve a spot in the NIT. It will be on the road and it will be a difficult game, but after what I saw the last two games, why can’t this team make a run toward New York City.
But a lot will happen between now and 8 p.m. CDT (daylight saving time begins Sunday morning) on ESPNU when the field of 32 is announced. How many teams that won regular season titles that lost in the conference championships in upsets will get the automatic bid to the NIT? That could be a problem for LSU. What SEC teams will make the field of 68? Is Tennessee in or out? Is Mississippi State the last four in or are they out? All questions that bear heavily on LSU’s future.
I really am of the thought that after what I’ve seen the last two days, more basketball is appropriate. That means a few more days practice and more refinement of this LSU team. Here’s hoping a little after 8 p.m. on ESPNU, I’m seeing LSU’s name on an NIT bracket. This team deserves it after 18 wins, seven more than either of the last two years, 7 SEC wins after a combined 5 the last two years.
A coaching staff, a group of players and a program that wants to go to the NIT. Add it all up. Three letters need to be on that bracket Sunday night at 8 p.m. – L-S-U.