LEXINGTON, Ky. – The second-ranked LSU gymnastics team will jump into Southeastern Conference action this week as the Tigers take on Kentucky along with No. 20 Arizona State at Kentucky’s Memorial Coliseum Friday.
The tri-meet will begin at 6 p.m. CT, and live audio will be available free of charge at www.LSUsports.net/live. Mike Smith will call the action among LSU, Kentucky and Arizona State. Live video will be available at http://www.watchespn.com/.
LSU (1-0) carries momentum into the competition after a strong start in the season opener against Iowa on Jan. 9. The Tigers posted the second-highest score in the nation with a 197.125, the 14th consecutive meet in which LSU earned a 197 or better.
“We wanted to create the perception throughout the country that we are the real deal, and we are a team that you will have to bring your ‘A’ game to compete with us,” LSU head coach D-D Breaux said. “We did that in the opener. Our student-athletes competed with a tremendous amount of intensity and confidence, and while there were mistakes we managed to bounce back and overcome adversity very well.”
Kentucky (1-0) and Arizona State (1-0) enter the meet with a boost of confidence after earning wins in each team’s respective opener. The Wildcats went on the road to beat Washington 194.975-194.325, and Arizona State defeated Southern Utah 194.200-193.925.
LSU features the No. 1 ranked bars lineup after scoring a 49.600 in the opener against Iowa. That score is the highest in the nation by any team in any event. The Tigers rank second nationally on beam with a 49.325, sixth on vault with a 49.225 and seventh on floor with a 48.975.
Jessie Jordan, the reigning SEC Gymnast of the Week, leads LSU into the meet after scoring a 39.550 to rank No. 1 nationally in the all-around. She also ranks second on beam and floor and fourth on bars.
Rheagan Courville is ranked No. 1 on bars by virtue of scoring a career-high 9.975 in the event. She is also third in the all-around, 10th on vault and 18th on beam.
Lloimincia Hall, Myia Hambrick, Erin Macadaeg, Jessica Savona, Randii Wyrick and Shae Zamardi are all ranked in the Top 25 nationally in at least one event entering Friday’s competition.
“We have many little things we need to improve on, and this meet is a great opportunity for us to go out and show that improvement,” Breaux said. “We work hard during the week in practice, and we use an intrasquad meet each week to help decide our lineup. It makes our ladies train with a level of intensity and in-gym competition that is very healthy.”
LSU holds a 71-5 all-time record against Kentucky, and the Tigers are 10-9 versus Arizona State. LSU is 14-3 against Kentucky in Lexington and 6-6 against Arizona State in a neutral site.
Links to live audio, video and stats can be found at www.LSUsports.net, and fans can also follow along with the meet through LSU gymnastics’ social channels: www.Facebook.com/lsugym, @LSUgym on Twitter, @LSU_gym on Instagram and www.YouTube.com/lsugymnastics.