PALMER PREGAME: Tigers host hapless Hatters

By Hunt Palmer

Sometimes scheduling works out. Sometimes it doesn’t.

In the transfer portal era, basketball rosters are overhauled every spring and summer. Thousands of players move school to school, so predicting how good a team will be year-to-year, especially at the lower levels of Division 1, is a dicey proposition.

When Matt McMahon and LSU scheduled Stetson for December of 2024, the Hatters were coming off of a 22-13 year in which they made the NCAA Tournament by winning the Atlantic Sun.

This year Stetson is one of the worst teams in the country.

After a season opening win over something called New College (Florida), the Hatters have dropped nine straight games. They’re currently ranked No. 355 of 364 in the NET rankings and will be dead weight on LSU resume the rest of the way.

That’s not really LSU’s fault.

Tuesday night allows LSU a chance to get back on the floor to discard the taste of a brutal half of basketball on Saturday that cost the Tigers their second game of the season. Three games remain before conference play cranks up in January.

There are some kinks to work out. Here was I’m looking for tonight.

Get to the Glass

LSU has done a pitiful job this season of getting to the defensive glass. How pitiful? The Tigers rank No. 357 of 364 in offensive rebounds allowed per game. Now, LSU is a Top 25 pace team that ranks No. 26 in America in shooting percentage defense, so there are more rebounds for LSU to corral than most, but that stat is still inexcusable considering LSU athleticism and the opponents on the schedule.

Corey Chest has been a constant on the glass, and you can count on Dji Bailey to do his fair share. LSU should have a stated goal Tuesday night of allowing no more than 10 offensive rebounds to a Stetson team than ranks No. 257 in offensive rebounding percentage.

It takes commitment and effort.

No More Charity

I know it’s the holidays, and we’re supposed to encourage giving behavior. Not in this instance. LSU was beaten on Saturday because the Tigers turned the ball over far too often in the second half. That starts with Jordan Sears and Cam Carter who do most of the ball handling, but Daimion Collins has to clean up the turnovers, too. He’s turned the ball over seven times in the last two games. That needs to come down.

All of the offensive rebounds and turnovers stress LSU’s defense too much. Yes, the Tigers guard the ball well. But you don’t give your defense a chance with that many free possessions for the opponent.

Toys for Tots

Since that last bullet had “Grinchy” tendencies, let’s flip it. For those going to the game on Tuesday, you can get a $5 ticket with the donation of a toy for Toys for Tots. Same applies for Sunday’s game against UNO.

Tip off Tuesday is set for 8:00 and will be televised on SEC Network.