Will Wade: We need Shaq around here more often

Will Wade and LSU got back in the win column on Saturday against Missouri, as the Tigers picked up a much-needed win — a 20-point blowout at that — and managed to climb back up to .500 in SEC play.

LSU desperately needed to get off on the right foot on Saturday, and the Tigers did just that. However, after a slow ending to the first half, which resulted in just a six-point halftime lead, LSU burst out of the locker room in the second half, outscoring Missouri by 14 points in the second half. Wade was thrilled with his team, which has improved in recent games, and he joked after the game that the Tigers need Shaq in attendance more often.

Shaq, of course, is an LSU alumnus, and the Hall of Fame big man was in attendance on Saturday to see his Tigers pull off a solid victory. Shaq’s son, Shareef O’Neal, is slowly working his way into LSU’s rotation, and he played well for Wade on Saturday, registering nine points on 4-of-6 shooting, along with seven boards.

“I thought (Shareef) played great. We need to have Shaq here more often,” Wade said. “I thought he played really well. He did a good job finishing around the rim, had a couple threes go in and out, and he did a nice job rebounding. I thought Shareef played really well.”

Will Wade addresses state of LSU offense, ball movement

After falling out of the AP Top 25 poll, Will Wade and the LSU Tigers managed to bring their SEC record back up to .500, as the Tigers got the best of Missouri on Saturday, winning by a 75-55 final.

It certainly looked like LSU’s best second-half effort of the season, as the Tigers entered the locker room for halftime with just a six-point lead over Cuonzo Martin and Missouri; however, LSU outscored Missouri by 14 in the second half, turning a close game into a blowout. Wade’s offense looked as good as it had in quite some time, too, as LSU shot an eye-opening 51 percent from the field, while knocking down 35.3 percent of its three-point attempts.

Wade said that LSU had been working hard to improve on the offensive side of the floor, and Saturday felt like a culmination of that practice.

“The ball moved a little bit better. We played inside-out. We got fouled. I was really proud of our free-throw percentage, 83%,” Wade said. “That’s been a trend the last two games where our free-throw percentage is picking back up. That’d be great if that could continue here down the stretch. But I was really pleased with our ball movement. I thought the ball moved. It stuck a little bit at the end of the first half, which is why we couldn’t score. We were trying to play one-on-one off the bounce, and we’re just not as good at that. But when the ball moves, we’re very good.”

LSU has just two regular-season games left on the docket, but neither will come easy for Wade’s Tigers. LSU is set to play at Arkansas on Wednesday, then play host to Alabama on Saturday.