5 Things To Know About The LSU Tigers

Kentucky plays its first SEC road game tonight in Baton Rouge vs. No. 21 LSU. As is tradition when the Cats come to town, the Tigers are pulling out all the stops, honoring legendary coach Dale Brown before the game and at halftime. Going on the road is never easy, especially in the SEC, and the Tigers are a ranked team that has a history of giving the Cats fits. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know ahead of Kentucky’s biggest test since the season-opener vs. Duke.

1. LSU is coming off its first loss

The Tigers were 12-0 going into last week’s game at then-No. 11 Auburn. Without Brandon Murray (hamstring), the Tigers struggled, especially on offense, shooting 28.6% (18-63) and turning the ball over 17 times to only four assists. LSU missed 16 straight shots, including 11 threes, to open the game and only scored one point in the first 10:45. LSU rallied to cut the lead to six with 6:40 left to play, but in the end, lost 70-55.

2. Brandon Murray is a game-time decision

The freshman guard started every game before tweaking his hamstring the day before LSU vs. Auburn. He averages 8.8 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Will Wade said yesterday that Murray remains a game-time decision. If he doesn’t play, sophomore Eric Gaines will start in his place and freshman Justice Williams will get more minutes. Williams had seven points and three rebounds in 24 minutes in his collegiate debut at Auburn.

3. They have the nation’s No. 1 defense

As Adam Luckett outlined earlier, LSU’s defense is good. The Tigers rank No. 1 in the country in KenPom‘s adjusted defensive efficiency, steals (12.5 per game), and opponent field-goal percentage (34.5%). They are also top 10 in block percentage (17.3%), turnover percentage (26.9%), and opponent 3-point percentage (26.2%). LSU is holding opponents to an average of 55.3 points per game (No. 2 nationally), whereas Kentucky is scoring 83.9 points per game (No. 8 nationally). Elite defense vs. elite offense. Something’s gotta give.

4. They’re not great on offense

The Tigers may have the nation’s best defense, but their offense is still a work in progress. LSU averages 77.7 points per game on 44.8% shooting. They’re particularly bad from behind the arc, making only 31% of their threes, which ranks No. 266 in the country. As mentioned earlier, they really struggled vs. Auburn, putting up only 55 points and making 28.6% (18-63) of their shots, 20.7% (6-29) of their threes.

5. Old and new faces

Darius Days is in his fourth season at LSU and is the Tigers’ second-leading scorer and leading rebounder with 14.7 points and 8.0 boards per game. Days has over 1,000 points in his LSU career. Xavier Pinson transferred to LSU from Missouri after last season and also has 1,000 points in his college career. The senior guard is averaging 11.0 points, 4.5 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game. LSU’s backcourt struggled vs. Auburn without Brandon Murray (hamstring), but Pinson is an SEC vet that Kentucky will have to account for.

LSU’s leading scorer, Tari Eason, actually comes off the bench. The 6’8″ 216 lbs. sophomore transferred in from Cincinnati and is averaging 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds in 23.5 minutes this season. Junior Shareef O’Neal — Shaq’s son — has not played a game this season due to a foot injury but could make an appearance tonight. Seven-foot freshman Efton Reid, a former five-star recruit, is the Tigers’ starting center. He’s averaging 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks this season.

The biggest question for Kentucky this season is how the Cats play without Oscar Tshiebwe. Reid, Days, and the rest of the Tigers will do all they can to get Oscar in foul trouble. How the Cats respond could be the x-factor tonight in Baton Rouge.