BATON ROUGE – With less than two weeks remaining before the official start of the 2016-17 LSU men’s basketball season (Nov. 12, Wofford), three Tigers are part of the “All-In” efforts of the basketball team to make a difference in the coming season.
Junior returnee Craig Victor II, junior college transfer Branden Jenkins and freshman Skylar Mays are looking forward to the free exhibition game against Reinhardt University on Nov. 6 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and the regular season opener on Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. against Wofford. The Tigers open with three-straight games to open the season in the first seven days prior to the team’s trip to the Bahamas for the “Battle 4 Atlantis.”
The Tigers will host 16 home games at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and season tickets are available starting at $100 at the LSU Athletics Ticket Office and LSUtix.net.
Craig Victor II returns for his second year of playing with the Tigers after transferring from Arizona in January 2015. He helped LSU on many occasions last season from his forward position averaging over 11 points and six rebounds a year ago. He had his first double-double in the win over nationally-ranked Kentucky (1/5/16) with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
He had the game winning offensive rebound and put back to defeat Arkansas and had his second double double of 16 points and 12 rebounds in the win. He posted his season high of 21 points against Alabama.
Branden Jenkins hails from Illinois and comes to LSU from Lee Junior College. He averaged 9.5 points as a freshman in 2014, did not play in 2015 and then in the 2015-16 season had a banner year averaging 15.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Jenkins had 50 steals during the 2015-16 season, eighth in Region 14 in Junior College and over the course of the two seasons shot over 50 percent in both years of play
Jenkins, who prepped in the Chicago area (Maywood, Illinois) at Proviso East High School, is rehabbing from minor pre-season surgery and looks to get back on the field by hopefully early in the new year.
Skylar Mays, a Baton Rouge native, won two state championships at University High in 2014 and 2015 before finishing his prep career at Findlay Prep in Nevada. He averaged 11.1 points during the 2013-14 season and 9.1 points and 8.1 assists in 2014-15 for University High and then 10.9 points and 5.3 assists per game this past season at Findlay.
Mays, a member of the school honor roll, won the two U-High state championships with teammate Wayde Sims.
In choosing season tickets, fans can go to LSUtix.net to buy their tickets and use the “Pick Your Own Seat” map which allows fans to see exactly what is available for sale. Tickets can also be purchased on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. by phone at 225-578-2184 or 800-960-8587 or in person at the Athletics Administration Building.
League play opens early this year, Dec. 29, with the annual Gold Game and that will be against Vanderbilt. LSU will play such teams at Alabama, Arkansas, Texas A&M and Florida during the league schedule at the Maravich Center.
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