Can LSU still dance?
There is no way LSU will get an at-large NCAA Tournament bid with 10 or more SEC losses.
After Saturday's 66-56 win over No. 3 Florida without Glen Davis, LSU is still just 15-13 overall and 4-10 in the SEC. No 10-loss SEC team has ever received an at-large berth.
Should LSU's other players play like they have in their last two games and should Glen Davis come back healthy from his quadriceps problem in time for the SEC Tournament in Atlanta, look out.
I don't buy this LSU is better without Davis business. If LSU had been playing and coaching well all season with Davis, it would be .500 or slightly better right now in the SEC and NCAA bound.
So with Davis back and a bunch of other players with renewed confidence, look for the Tigers to make a run in the SEC Tournament. Unfortunately, it will have to win four games in four days to get to the dance as it will have to play on Thursday in the first round.
Still, of the lower division SEC teams this season, LSU has clearly the most talent and has been the most underachieving team. The best team it will play will be Florida, and it just beat the Gators without Davis. Kentucky? It should've beat the Wildcats, too. Alabama? It lost to the Tide by three. Ole Miss? LSU played one of its best games against the Rebels before blowing it with five seconds to go. Tennessee? It lost to the Vols by three up there. It could've beat Mississippi State, too.
Look for LSU coach John Brady to learn something from this minus-Davis portion of the season.
He has other good players, and two of them are better inside than outside. Those are Tasmin Mitchell and Dameon Mason. Let them play inside. With the improvement of Magnum Rolle and Darnell Lazare, LSU may have interesting options outside of Davis now so he may not be double- and triple-teamed as much. If anything, give Davis a rest during the game, let the other guys do what they can and then let a rejuvenated Davis finish the game strong.
It could happen.
After Saturday's 66-56 win over No. 3 Florida without Glen Davis, LSU is still just 15-13 overall and 4-10 in the SEC. No 10-loss SEC team has ever received an at-large berth.
Should LSU's other players play like they have in their last two games and should Glen Davis come back healthy from his quadriceps problem in time for the SEC Tournament in Atlanta, look out.
I don't buy this LSU is better without Davis business. If LSU had been playing and coaching well all season with Davis, it would be .500 or slightly better right now in the SEC and NCAA bound.
So with Davis back and a bunch of other players with renewed confidence, look for the Tigers to make a run in the SEC Tournament. Unfortunately, it will have to win four games in four days to get to the dance as it will have to play on Thursday in the first round.
Still, of the lower division SEC teams this season, LSU has clearly the most talent and has been the most underachieving team. The best team it will play will be Florida, and it just beat the Gators without Davis. Kentucky? It should've beat the Wildcats, too. Alabama? It lost to the Tide by three. Ole Miss? LSU played one of its best games against the Rebels before blowing it with five seconds to go. Tennessee? It lost to the Vols by three up there. It could've beat Mississippi State, too.
Look for LSU coach John Brady to learn something from this minus-Davis portion of the season.
He has other good players, and two of them are better inside than outside. Those are Tasmin Mitchell and Dameon Mason. Let them play inside. With the improvement of Magnum Rolle and Darnell Lazare, LSU may have interesting options outside of Davis now so he may not be double- and triple-teamed as much. If anything, give Davis a rest during the game, let the other guys do what they can and then let a rejuvenated Davis finish the game strong.
It could happen.
posted by Glenn Guilbeau at 3:35 PM
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