LSU’s campus becomes a circus on Saturday when the Tigers take on Alabama in Death Valley at 2:30 p.m.
Friday night’s hoops contest with Texas Southern figures to be rather subdued by comparison. Still, it’s another chance for head coach Will Wade’s team to take the floor together. All of those minutes are important for a group cobbled together from across the world to try and build chemistry.
The game tips off at 7:00 p.m. and can be heard on the Flagship for LSU Athletics, Eagle 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge.
This game was likely scheduled for Johnny Jones who led Friday night’s visitors from 2018-2026 and made three straight NCAA Tournaments while in Houston. Jones is now on LSU’s bench with Wade.
Texas Southern was blasted by Grand Canyon, 103-79, on Tuesday. They allowed the ‘Lopes to shoot 51% from the floor and hoist 41 free throws.
LSU should control the action, but there is more to look at.
DOMINATE ON D
I wrote about defense entering the opener and got some answers. LSU is going to apply pressure in the backcourt, at least against lesser teams. Saliou Niang is a weapon Wade intends to deploy in full-court situations when possible. He certainly can on Friday.
He can take a closer look at Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark defensively. Keeping opposing guards out of the paint is going to be vital in SEC play. Texas Southern drew 24 fouls in the opener, so they will drive if allowed.
FROM THE SKYY
Clark is a really good shooter.
Last year at UCLA, he shot 43% from deep. His 83% shooting from the charity stripe also indicates a smooth stroke. He missed all four of his threes on Tuesday, so he needs to get on track.
I’m not sure LSU has a true post scoring threat. Brice Dessert and Michael Ruzic might be able to receive lobs, serve as putback artists rather than back-to-the-basket scorers. That means to create driving lanes LSU is going to need space. Shooters create space, and Abdi Bashir and Clark are the shooters.
Clark should make three or four threes on Friday night.
SCORING SALIOU
The player whose offensive game I’m most curious about is Niang.
We know he can guard, rebound and pass. Can he shoot? Can he put the ball on the floor and create his own shot? I don’t have those answers.
Doing those things against Texas Southern doesn’t necessarily indicate he can do it against Arkansas, but it’s a starting point.
