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Matt McMahon, LSU, await decision on Jalen Cook's waiver

On3 imageby:Matthew Brune•12/02/23•

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Matt McMahon lsu
Matt McMahon lsu

LSU took the win over Southeastern on Friday night in the PMAC, improving to 5-3 on the year. After the game, head coach Matt McMahon went out of his way to give an update on transfer guard Jalen Cook in his opening statement.

“We’re still awaiting the decision for some reason,” McMahon said of Cook’s eligibility. “He meets all the criteria. We’re certainly hoping for good news on his appeal. I don’t know what the hold up is without getting into the specifics of it.”

It was the first time he’s spoken about Cook in a few weeks, but as the struggles continue for his team, the urgency to get Cook back ramps up significantly. It was the perfect time for McMahon to try to call out the NCAA to campaign to get his player back.

Across the sport, a handful of players seemingly every week have been getting their second waivers accepted, allowing them to get back on the court. Moussa Cisse was granted eligibility on Wednesday to play at Ole Miss, a big piece to the Rebels’ hopes in the SEC. Now, LSU is hoping to get good news back as well.

The Tigers now enter a week off for finals before getting back on the court on Dec. 9 against Kansas State at home, an opponent that reached the Elite 8 last year. Conference play begins January 6th against Texas A&M on the road.

 For a program expecting to take a significant step forward this season, the absence of Cook has been apparent. Without him, the guard play has struggled and it’s been freshman Mike Williams who’s stepped up and been a beacon of hope for the future with his play. Still, the losses to Nicholls State, Dayton, and Syracuse all raise questions about this team’s ability without Cook.

More LSU availability news

Transfer forward Daimion Collins is still out with an injured shoulder, which he suffered against North Florida on Nov. 24. No timetable on his return yet.

Guard Trae Hannibal dislocated a finger against North Florida, tried to play through it against Southeastern, but was “very limited, and that’s why he was unable to play extended minutes.”, McMahon said.

As the Tigers continue to await Cook’s waiver, they’ve stuck together and look to get more resume wins as SEC play approaches.

“With all of that said, we’re thankful to get a win against a good basketball team and now we have a great opportunity to get better this week and finish strong with final exams,” McMahon said. “I’m proud of our players for getting their composure back together and finding a way to win. We’ll be able to reevaluate where we are and focus on how to get better as a team.”

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