Jalen Cook continues to wait as LSU prepares for Kansas State

LSU takes on Kansas State on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. in the PMAC in a non-conference showdown that can help bolster both team’s resume early in the season.

LSU is 5-3 overall and coming off of a disappointing week with a blowout loss to Syracuse and a close win over Southeastern before taking eight days off for final exams. Kansas State, meanwhile, comes in 7-2 overall but with three straight wins in overtime at home.

Now, at the quarter mark of the season, LSU looks to take the next step forward in competing with other high major programs. 

“It was a good point in the season, we’re 25 percent of the way through the year, for us to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement,” McMahon said, “We tried to be very intentional. There are things we’ve done well on defense with our 2-point defense and steal percentage, but we need to improve in our 3-point defense and defensive rebounding. Then, offensively, turnovers have really hurt us, so we’ve worked to improve on that. Ball security will be at a premium as we look towards tomorrow vs. Kansas State.”

Here’s a quick look at the availability of some key LSU rotation players entering the game.

LSU’s availability report

Daimion Collins: Out (Shoulder)

“He is back in conditioning, but he is not back to full participation basketball yet, so he will be out against Kansas State. We’re really hopeful to get him back sooner rather than later, but he’s still working through the shoulder injury he suffered in the North Florida game.”

Trae Hannibal: Active

“Trae is back full-go. He dislocated his finger in that North Florida game and has battled through it, but had a really good week of practice.”

With Collins out, there’s more pressure on Baker to produce on both ends. Collins is a capable rim protector with solid offensive skills and a perfect backup center, but now Baker has to show he’s capable of playing consistently against these high major opponents.

Hannibal being back helps take some of that pressure off of freshman Mike Williams, however, Williams has been significantly more productive in his minutes and should continue to see the bulk of those point guard possessions.

Jalen Cook’s status 

With players across the country getting their final rulings on their two-time transfer waivers, LSU continues to hold out hope that Cook will be eligible to play soon. With eight days since the last game, the Tigers hoped it was coming this week, but it looks like McMahon and his staff will have to continue to wait it out.

McMahon talked about how he and Cook have approached the process in recent weeks.

“He’s been full go in practice and we are preparing for him to be with us,” McMahon said. “He had the hamstring injury that cost him a couple him from July to early September, but I’ve tried to impress upon him to prepare every day as if we’re going to get that phone call and he’s ready to go.”

After the Southeastern game, McMahon showed an inkling of frustration over the process and he went into depth about what he sees and his frustrations with the NCAA.

“It’s really been a disappointing process, from the NCAA’s standpoint,” McMahon said. “I hate it for him. I can’t believe we don’t have finality to it yet. He should be eligible. He meets all of the criteria. We’re not talking about a guy that’s four schools in four years or he’s 24 years old in his seventh year of college. He’s back at his original school, 20 minutes from his home, and I can’t get into all of the confidentiality of his personal case, but he meets every criteria that should deem him eligible to play right away and now he’s missed a quarter of our season waiting on this. I see other players getting their waivers here in the last two weeks and are getting to play, but I just can’t imagine a better case than what Jalen Cook has to be playing basketball right now. Very disappointed for him, but hopeful we come to a resolution very soon.”

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