KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The LSU men’s tennis team is ready for a battle on Thursday, as the Tigers face the 18th-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament at 8 a.m. here in Knoxville, Tenn.
“Alabama beat us earlier in the year at their place and now we have them on a neutral ground,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown. “We have made a lot of improvements in a lot of areas since then, but they have also. This is going to be a matchup of two teams that are playing very well right now and they (Alabama) are probably having their best year ever.”
LSU heads into the SEC Tournament with an overall record of 9-12 on the season and a 2-9 record against conference opponents. The Tigers’ SEC victories came at home against Mississippi State, 5-2, and on the road versus Arkansas, 4-3.
On Tuesday, LSU closed out its regular season with a sweep of in-state rivals, UL-Monroe, 7-0, and Southern, 5-0, in a doubleheader at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium. The Tigers finished the season with a 7-3 mark against non-conference opponents.
The Crimson Tide enters Thursday’s first-round match with a 15-6 overall record on the season and a 7-4 mark in the SEC. Alabama will also head into the contest with a full head of steam after winning four-consecutive matches against conference opponents. The Crimson Tide finished its regular season with crucial wins versus No. 24 South Carolina, 4-3, No. 16 Kentucky, 4-2, Vanderbilt, 4-3, and 13th-ranked Auburn, 4-0.
“Alabama is going to come out with a great bit of confidence after earning a huge win over Auburn,” Brown said. “I also think that we will have a good bit of momentum with a three-match winning streak under our belt, so it should be interesting to see what happens. We won the doubles point last time, and if we are able to get that again, I feel pretty good about our chances.”
In the first contest between the SEC Western Division rivals this season, Alabama knocked off the Tigers’ in Tuscaloosa, Ala., 4-1, after losing the doubles point. The Crimson Tide reeled off four-straight victories in singles play to beat LSU.
With the win, the Tide earned its second straight versus LSU after Alabama upset the Tigers by an identical 4-1 score in the quarterfinal round of the 2001 SEC Tournament. The Crimson Tide advanced to the semifinal round of the four-day event before losing to eventual champion Tennessee.
The Tigers own a 32-20-1 lead in the all-time series, but have never beaten Alabama in the SEC Tournament. Last season’s match was the first time that the two squads ever met in post-season play.
The LSU men’s tennis team will next be in action on Thursday at 8 a.m., as the Tigers challenge the No. 18-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Knoxville, Tenn.
Thursday’s Matches
1. #6 Alabama v. #11 LSU 8 a.m.
2. #7 Kentucky v. #10 Mississippi State 11 a.m.
3. #8 Arkansas v. #9 South Carolina 2 p.m.
4. #5 Florida v. #12 Vanderbilt 5 p.m.
Friday’s Quarterfinal Matches
5. #3 Auburn v Alabama/LSU winner 8 a.m.
6. #2 Ole Miss v. Kentucky/Mississippi State winner 11 a.m.
7. #1 Georgia v. Arkansas/South Carolina winner 2 p.m.
8. #4 Tennessee v. Florida/Vanderbilt winner 5 p.m.
Saturday’s Semifinal Matches
9. Match 7 winner v. Match 8 winner 10 a.m.
10. Match 5 winner v. Match 6 winner 2 p.m.
Sunday’s Championship Match
11. Match 9 winner v. Match 10 winner 2 p.m.