Matt McMahon responds to LSU's preseason SEC ranking

On Monday evening, the SEC released its preseason conference media poll and all-conference teams and it seems no one was impressed with LSU and Matt McMahon entering the year. Coming off of a 9-9 SEC season where the Tigers repeatedly punched above their weight with injuries persisting, Matt McMahon and company have upgraded their talent level overall, yet LSU is once again projected to finish near the bottom.

The media has LSU 14th out of 16 teams in the new-look SEC and the Tigers did not have a player on the All-SEC first or second teams.

“It probably motivates the players like Jalen Reed differently than me,” McMahon said at SEC Media Days. “I don’t pay attention to that. We were picked third in our last year at Murray State and went 30-2. Last year, us and South Carolina picked at the bottom. South Carolina finishes second and we finished in the top half. It’s just staying focused on the things we need to do to keep getting better every day and build the chemistry we’re going to need to be successful. These predictions are impossible. Every team is new for the most part. When you can have player retention and guys staying in the program, it’s a great competitive advantage in college basketball in 2024. Really excited about our group and the momentum that’s building in our program.”

McMahon added Kansas State transfer Cam Carter, Richmond transfer Dji Bailey, and UT-Martin transfer Jordan Sears to LSU’s roster as well as a top 15 recruiting class in the country with three talented freshman. However, it’s the return of key players like Reed, Tyrell Ward, Derek Fountain, and others that give this team the continuity it needs heading into the year.

“As a team, we just plan to come out and compete and leave everything on the floor,” Reed said. “We’re doing what it takes, connecting and learning each other, and we already have the talent, so we’re just going to compete and leave the rest for the world to see.”

LSU went on the media tour on Tuesday talking about their team and expectations entering the year, but one thing that was clear was the emphasis to get off to a better start this season in the non-conference. The losses last year kept them out of the NCAA Tournament, but the hope this year is the schedule can elevate them with some key wins ahead of conference play.

“There are a lot of good opportunities for us in the non-conference and we learned last year, we did enough in the league,” McMahon said. “We finished in the top half with the third most quad one wins in the league, but we didn’t get it done in the non-conference. We weren’t good enough there. We have three games against ACC teams. We have good neutral site games. We also have a road game against Kansas State. We have to take advantage of those opportunities in November and December because we know it’s going to be a war come league play in January and February.”

The SEC is arguably the best conference in the country this year and McMahon knows what’s ahead, but he also is confident in his new-look roster and new found depth across the board entering the 2024-25 season.