Matt McMahon explains decision to give Derek Fountain first start

LSU forward Derek Fountain had come off the bench for the first eight games of the season, but on Saturday against Wake Forest, coach Matt McMahon gave him his first start.

The decision paid off in a big way as Fountain finished with 11 points, five rebounds and four steals, including one to seal the 72-70 victory with two seconds remaining. In a media session a couple days after the game, McMahon explained what went into his decision to move Fountain in the starting lineup.

“Just my kind of guy,” he said. “Hard-playing dude. All about the team. Wants to do whatever he can to impact winning. Awesome teammate. Plays with great energy. I think he’s been practicing really well and I thought you saw that carry over to the game on Saturday. I think that becomes contagious within the team. So we’re hoping to see a lot more of that, not only from Derek, but from others.”

A transfer from Mississippi State, Fountain has averaged 5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals this season for the Tigers in 18.2 minutes per game. His four steals from Saturday weren’t even a season-high, as he recorded seven against New Orleans earlier this season.

That defensive effort is partly why Matt McMahon moved Derek Fountain into the starting lineup, and could be what keeps him in going forward. He was also incredibly efficient from the field Saturday, going 4-of-5 on his shot attempts.

LSU improved to 8-1 on the season with the win and will look to keep things rolling as they gear up for a tough SEC schedule. The Tigers’ next chance to secure a victory will come at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday against North Carolina Central.