LSU Coach on Marquette Matchup

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=205348354

Like seeing the perspective of an SeC coach on us this year. Can't wait for this game.

[brewcity77]

Just a few thoughts...

"Their two best players have been around forever"

Okay, DJO has three years starting, but Crowder just got here last year! Though considering he arrived right after Hayward left, maybe he's confusing two guys with similar size and similar game (in which case 6 years is forever).

"Even without Andre Stringer, we are going to try to use our size, like Eddie Ludwig and Jalen Courtney"

Stringer's their top scorer, and it sounds like he'll miss his third straight game, though LSU won both games without him. Ludwig (6'9") and Courtney (6'8") have seen their roles increase a lot since the Stringer (5'9") injury, and that makes LSU much longer. It'll make for an interesting match-up; Stringer is far more athletic, but also seems like the kind of guy that Blue and Mayo could give fits to.

LSU isn't Washington, but those two, along with 6'11" Justin Hamilton and 6'9" Johnny O'Bryant (McDonald's AA) this will be a very big team to match up against. With Stringer out, this might be the longest team player-for-player we have to deal with the rest of the season. The only player under 6'6" that will likely see many minutes is PG Anthony Hickey.

"We want to earn transition opportunities. We need to try to make this game a half-court game."

Hmm...a bit of a contradiction?

LSU's three losses all came to teams that play at a slower pace than their 67.7 possessions per game. They have only played one team that is in the top-50 tempo, and Western Kentucky isn't nearly as talented as we are. But what he said there...if LSU is trying to get out in transition, we'll likely get chances to do the same. And if they want to play a transition game, I'm confident that will help us negate their length with our speed.

Half-court is the way they should be going. Slow us down, don't let it turn into a track meet. If they try to play at our pace, we have a good chance to blow the doors off them. If they can force us to play at their pace, they can at least keep it close, and with the home crowd, an upset isn't unthinkable.

"The biggest surprise for me is our inability to sustain defensive intensity versus the two teams that we lost to."

This I think is our biggest advantage. Buzz's team never wants to let up. And we've already seen a more hostile environment in Madison against a better team. I think most of the time, our ability for guys like Jae and Jamil to defend players bigger than themselves will allow us to at worst play close to equal. And if they slack at all defensively, we'll make them pay. Against a team that can't keep up its intensity, a 6-2 run can turn into 16-2 in a hurry. We need to get some turkeys and transition, and as Buzz would say, "play like us".

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Should be a good game, and this really got me excited for it. I think this LSU team is better than a lot of people might expect, and had they held that intensity that Johnson talked about, would probably be coming into this game 9-1 (they were in position to beat both Northwestern and South Alabama in the second half). They aren't and I hope we don't overlook them at all because of it. I still think we win, but it's not inconceivable that LSU could be a NCAA team (and have a very good shot at NIT) and it's rarely easy winning against teams like that on their home court.

[Golden Avalanche]

Should be a good game, and this really got me excited for it. I think this LSU team is better than a lot of people might expect, and had they held that intensity that Johnson talked about, would probably be coming into this game 9-1 (they were in position to beat both Northwestern and South Alabama in the second half). They aren't and I hope we don't overlook them at all because of it. I still think we win, but it's not inconceivable that LSU could be a NCAA team (and have a very good shot at NIT) and it's rarely easy winning against teams like that on their home court.

I've seen LSU twice -- against Rutgers and Northwestern -- and I don't see them as any better then the 10th place squad in the Big East.

The only thing that scares me about this game is Baton Rouge. The Bayou Bengals can't hold a candle to MU. It'd be on us if they return home stunned.

[brewcity77]

I agree we should win, but their length and the environment are two factors in their favor. We'll probably be 7-10 point favorites, even on the road, but I could see it closer than that. Really depends what LSU team shows up, the one that beat Rutgers in Jersey or the won that lost to South Alabama at home.

[Seraph]

I've seen LSU twice -- against Rutgers and Northwestern -- and I don't see them as any better then the 10th place squad in the Big East.

The only thing that scares me about this game is Baton Rouge. The Bayou Bengals can't hold a candle to MU. It'd be on us if they return home stunned.

I live in Baton Rouge and can safely say that LSU's basketball team is not a draw down here.  Their arena is routinely 1/2 full.  Maybe not even that.

Btw, is anyone else here going to the LSU game?

[MuMark]

Students will be gone so the arena will likely be dead.

[MUMac]

"We want to earn transition opportunities. We need to try to make this game a half-court game."

Hmm...a bit of a contradiction?

LSU's three losses all came to teams that play at a slower pace than their 67.7 possessions per game. They have only played one team that is in the top-50 tempo, and Western Kentucky isn't nearly as talented as we are. But what he said there...if LSU is trying to get out in transition, we'll likely get chances to do the same. And if they want to play a transition game, I'm confident that will help us negate their length with our speed.

Half-court is the way they should be going. Slow us down, don't let it turn into a track meet. If they try to play at our pace, we have a good chance to blow the doors off them. If they can force us to play at their pace, they can at least keep it close, and with the home crowd, an upset isn't unthinkable.

I don't see it as a contradiction.  He is saying that they cannot get into an up and down game with MU.  They need to make it a half court game.  They need to look for opportunities in transition, but only take those that are there.  Thus the "earn" comment.  If they are not there (earned), they cannot get tricked into playing a a higher pace/tempo against MU.  I could see Bo making a similar comment/point.

[PGsHeroes32]

Is this game going to be on national t.v.?

Like ESPNU at least?

[Golden Avalanche]

The LSU that beat Rutgers isn't all that different from the one that lost to South Alabama. Rutgers is awful.
Especially with Stringer down, this shouldn't be that tight late unless LSU has their best game of season.

My mention of Baton Rouge isn't to do with crowd, which is always lame, it's more to do with the other little bullshit that comes from traveling to an unknown site. The aspect is the game that comes afterwards. This team has shown mental toughness to this point so hope it continues.

As for TV, I believe it's listed in Jersey as a Fox Sports game so perhaps check your local affiliate's schedule.