HOUSTON, Texas – A long break for semester exams comes to a close here Sunday at Hofheinz Pavilion as the LSU Tigers take on the host Houston Cougars in a game that has been moved to late afternoon at 4:30 p.m.
The game will be LSU’s first since the Tigers scored 71 second half points in a rallying 119-108 win over North Florida in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Dec. 2.
The game will be televised on ESPN2 and broadcast on the affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network with Jim Hawthorne and Ricky Blanton on site and Kevin Ford serving as studio host (Eagle 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge).
LSU is 4-3 overall and the win on Dec. 2 stopped a three-game losing streak, while Houston is 5-1 with all wins coming at Hofheinz. The Cougars of second year Coach Kelvin Sampson fell in their last game on Tuesday night at Rhode Island, 67-57.
LSU will be visiting Hofheinz Pavilion for the first time since Nov. 29, 2011 in a series which Houston leads, 9-7. LSU has won the last two meetings, including the 2011 game in Houston. This is the first of a home-and-home two-year series between the schools.
The Tigers posted their best field goal percentage since Jan. 14, 2006 as LSU shot 64.2% against North Florida and better than that (70-plus percent) in the second half.
LSU had five players in double figures for the first time since January and three over 20 points for the first time since November 2007 in the game as Ben Simmons came very close to a 5 by 5 stat line with 43 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals and 3 blocks. Tim Quarterman and Josh Gray each had 20 points and 6 assists for LSU.
The Tigers are hoping that senior Keith Hornsby, who has been sidelined since before the season with minor internal surgery, can play some minutes in the Houston game. He has been going through the majority of practices this past week and is expected to dress for the game. Hornsby, who had 72 treys last year, averaged 13.4 points a game during the 2015 for LSU.
Simmons comes in averaging 19.9 points a game and a nation’s leading 14.9 points per game (along with 6 assists a game), while Quarterman averages 13.7 points. Also in double figures for LSU after seven games is Antonio Blakeney at 12.3 points and Josh Gray at 10.3 points a game.
LSU is averaging 82.7 points per game while giving up 78.1 a contest. Opponents are out rebounding the Tigers, 42.9-40.6.
Damyean Dotson led all players for Houston in the Rhode Island game with 19 points and 12 rebounds for his second double double in the last three games, while Rob Gray, Jr., off the bench had 14 points. Gray leads the team with a 17.7 scoring averaging, while Devonta Pollard averages 15.7 points, Ronnie Johnson 13.3 and Dotson 11.3 markers.
Houston averages 85.2 points per game while giving up just 65.8 points and the Cougars have an average rebound margin of 8.0 (40-32). Houston has wins at home over Prairie View, Florida A&M, ULM, Texas Rio Grande Valley and Murray State.
The Tigers have three more games at home prior to Christmas starting on Dec. 16 against Gardner-Webb (6 p.m.). LSU will also host Oral Roberts (Dec. 19, 1 p.m. – Note Game Time Change) and Dec. 22 against American University (7 p.m.).
LSU Head Coach Johnny Jones met with the media after practice late Friday afternoon and here are some of his comments:
Opening Statement…
“We are excited and really anxious about having an opportunity to get back out on the floor Sunday after a long layoff. It’s been good for us to try to rest some bodies and get some injuries healed and at the same time, try to continue practicing and cleaning up and getting better at some areas that we certainly need to constantly improve in. This final exam week has been one that has been trying for us, trying to make sure that we find the proper practice time where we can have all of our guys out on the floor while at the same time knowing they have been focused primarily on their academics, rightfully so being student-athletes. This week, they know what really comes first, making sure they have their studies all in order. With that being said, we think we’ve had some productive practices and think our guys have done a tremendous job of being focused. We look forward to a great challenge against a very talented basketball team on Sunday in Houston.
On the progression of Keith Hornsby and Craig Victor…
“We are looking forward (to having) Keith (Hornsby) (Sunday). We feel as if he will be able to give us some minutes How many, we are not sure. The game will be different for him. It will be his first competition this year. We know the pace of the game and all of those things will be a little bit different, but we look forward to getting him back out on the floor at some point as he starts his quest to getting back into what we consider game shape to play at game speed. Craig (Victor) will not travel with us … He has another final exam that he has to take care of. When we get back, we will address his situation. We are hopeful that we can get him back out on the court here in the near future.”
On grade postings…
“Grades generally post on Tuesday. We are going to have to wait at least until then to find out the situation. We feel that he is in good shape and good standing with what he’s done so far academically. We will address it when we get back. Hopefully, things are in place that we hope to get him back on the floor.”
On getting Hornsby and Victor back in game condition …
“We are going to have to try to get them in. It’s good that it’s over the break. We have a lot of practice time in front of us, but the games we have are coming up quickly, we play on Sunday. Then, we have another quick turnaround on Wednesday. We are hopeful that during that time we can get some good, positive practices. The good thing is that they have been practicing with us. It’s just going to be more of trying to get them in the rotation in the games, which is going to require minutes. Once we do that, we will have a better idea and feel of what we want. We know what we would like to do, but it’s going to depend on how long Hornsby will be able to go and what the feel of his game is like. Hopefully when we get Craig (Victor) back, it will be pretty much the same. He has been out a whole year without playing because he transferred at Christmas. It will be his first competition whenever that game will be … At the same time, we will have to monitor that as well.”
On Antonio Blakeney‘s shooting…
“… He does a great job in terms of working in practice. The problem is, we’ve had such a long layoff, and he hasn’t really had a chance to get back on the floor to do that in games. I don’t think his confidence has been shaken at all. He’s done a tremendous job in practice. The time he puts in alone doing his individual skill work, he’s shot the ball well. It’s just a matter of time before it will start happening for him in games. It’s really early in the season for him. We know that will balance out for him.”
On Houston…
“They are a very up-tempo team that likes to get the ball up the floor. They have guards who are exceptional and can really score. They have one that comes off the bench, Rob Gray, Jr., who leads them in scoring. He’s an excellent shooter and can run off some points very quickly. Their post guys are very good. One is an All-American … that presents a strong and physical presence, as well. They are a good defensive basketball team. They will make you have to play in the half court and make you grind it out as well. They are a very tough team that has done a tremendous job from last year to this year with their team and have really gotten off to a great start.”
On teams showing different defenses as more tape of Ben Simmons develops…
“I think opposing coaches will take the last game and look at how we played against North Florida, and I’m sure they will construct some type of defense to try to make sure they take away the positive plays from that game. That means that other guys on the floor will have to step up. We feel like throughout the season with the makeup of our team, we will see a lot of defenses change because we have different guys on the floor from our perimeter guys who we think are excellent shooters. When their nights get on like the other night, (opponents) had to stay home with their shooters, and it allowed Ben (Simmons) some freedom to roam. There will be times when people will double him, and we are hopeful that our guards will be able to do a great job of shooting from the perimeter.”
On Elbert Robinson III‘s health…
“Elbert has been doing excellent. He had been shut down with an injury for a couple of games. He’s back at 100 percent now, and we are excited about that.”
On what Ben Simmons has to work on moving into conference play…
“The great thing for Ben (Simmons) is that he understands that there are a lot of things that he needs to continue to grow and get better at. He’s done a tremendous job of showing his unselfishness and creating other opportunities for his teammates and making plays. As he continues to become comfortable out there on the floor, he plays on the perimeter as well as inside for us. There’s been a certain balance that we have to get used to with him doing both. Those are areas where he has to continue improving in our execution at a high level with him because we will have an opportunity to do that all year and build on that end with him. His rebounding has picked up from where it was at the beginning of the year. Defensively, he has done a tremendous job of not only guarding on the perimeter but in the post, as well. He has not been one of those guys who has settled in just becoming a perimeter player in terms of being that type of shooter outside. He’s found ways and has a knack for scoring and has really done a great job in doing that.”
On which players will step up and be the “glue guys” of the team…
“Keith (Hornsby) was a year ago. At seven games in, it’s hard to say because we haven’t had our great core of guys together. We’ve had guys down and have missed games for various reasons. We think here in the next couple of weeks that those people will show up. At some point, we look forward to that.”
On Bob Pettit’s statue announcement | Details
“We are really excited, it’s really well-deserved. He is one of the greatest players to ever play the game here at LSU. What a tremendous career he had in the NBA, and what a great ambassador he has been for this great university, as well. We are excited about the decision that has been made by the decision makers to allow that to take place. Bob Pettit, we see him sitting there courtside and is very supportive of this basketball team. We look forward to that day.”