Matt McMahon discusses how analytics can help break LSU out of slump

LSU won 12 of its first 13 games this season under first-year head coach Matt McMahon, but the Tigers have now lost five straight. How can he get LSU out of its slump?

McMahon suggested thinking outside the box a little as the Tigers continue to search for answers.

“Yeah, I think we’re in a situation where we’ve got to try different things and try and find different ways to be more efficient at both ends of the court,” McMahon said.

Better, though, he has a specific method in mind after poring over some of the tape of LSU’s last few games and reviewing the analytics. Simply put, LSU has to score more points. It needs more easy buckets.

The Tigers have averaged just 59.6 points per game during the current five-game losing streak.

“We talked earlier this week, sometimes when you’re really struggling to score, how can you try to create some easier baskets?” McMahon said. “I thought you saw that in the first six minutes of the second half against Auburn. We were able to force some turnovers, force some tougher shots that led to some longer rebounds that got us out in transition and got some easier baskets there.”

Road stays tough as McMahon tries to help LSU out of slump

If the Tigers were hoping for the schedule to provide a bit of a reprieve, they can forget that.

Saturday LSU will take on No. 9 Tennessee, then a road trip to No. 25 Arkansas looms after that. Not much of a chance to catch the breath or break LSU out of the slump.

It’ll take a renewed effort and better execution from the Tigers to make that happen.

But McMahon remains committed to the course.

“We’ll continue to search every way possible to give ourselves a chance to keep getting better and improve,” McMahon said.