Derek Fountain, Cam Hayes discuss locker room mood amid losing streak

It has not been a fun few weeks for Derek Fountain, Cam Hayes or any of the LSU basketball team. The Tigers have lost 10 straight games, going through the entire month of January without claiming a victory.

The latest setback among the group came this past weekend against Alabama. The Crimson Tide defeated LSU, 79-69, in Baton Rouge, La.

Fountain was asked after the game about how the team has been trying to keep morale up despite going through such a downturn.

“None of us like losing so somebody has to step up and let the team know, it just life,” Fountain said. “You got through adversity in many ways. Sometimes it look real bad. Sometimes it look slight. But no matter what, I just tell them stay with it. When that next win come around, it’s gonna feel good. No need to lay down and quit, just keep going.”

Derek Fountain, Cam Hayes gave LSU a shot against Alabama

Derek Fountain and Cam Hayes were the two best players on the floor for LSU in its defeat to Alabama.

Fountain scored a game-high 26 points — including going 12-for-15 from the free throw line — while also grabbing seven rebounds. Cam Hayes contributed 15 points and eight rebounds in 27-plus minutes off the bench, although he as an inefficient 4 of 14 from the field.

Hayes and Fountain both average 8.1 points on the season, which is third and fourth most on the team. Fountain is also second on the team in rebounding.

After the game, Hayes was asked what the message was from Matt McMahon and the rest of the coaching staff.

“Just keep fighting hard,” Hayes said. “I feel like the last couple of games, last three games, we’ve been kind of back to like how we was at the beginning of season: playing hard and playing for each other. But it’s tough — I ain’t gonna lie — losing that many in a row. We just try to do what we have to do every day. Keep stacking days in practice and eventually we’ll get through it. We really just need one. Once we get one, I feel like we’ll be fine. But coach ain’t gonna never give up on this and we ain’t gonna never give up on coach. We’re just trying to figure it out and I know we’re gonna figure it out.”