Upcoming season opponent, LSU, adds a transfer from Memphis

[77ncaachamps]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1311472-charles-carmouche-former-memphis-guard-transfers-to-lsu

[brewcity77]

Two thoughts...

1) Good, LSU lost a lot this offseason with Trent Johnson's departure. I want them to be competent and not a sub-200 RPI team.

2) If Carmouche is the piece that can lift them to the Big Dance, he must be the second coming of Jordan. I don't think this year's LSU is even close to the tourney.

[77ncaachamps]

I think you're correct about LSU not being a tourney team and from the look of their roster, they seem very inexperienced.

- 7-footer Hamilton was drafted by the Heat
- Ralston Turner transferred to NC State
- The top two returning guards are 5'9" and 5'11"
- returns 43% of the scoring
- must integrate 5 new players

Yet, we also lost Jae and DJO, both comprised 47% of MU's points.
And it's a brand-new coaching staff amidst a summer to forget.

As always, every given Saturday.

[bilsu]

Correct me if I am wrong, but they were not a tourney team last year and still beat us.

[brewcity77]

Correct me if I am wrong, but they were not a tourney team last year and still beat us.

They weren't, and they did, sort of like an "any given Sunday" type thing. But that doesn't mean we don't want them to be as competitive as possible. From a scheduling perspective, the better our non-conference opponents do in games not featuring us, the better. If at the end of the year we manage to beat UNC and Texas, and those teams are both in the top-5 in the country, it's better than if they're unranked, and if we beat LSU and they are a NIT team, it's better than if they're in the SEC basement.

Not saying they can't compete, just that adding a decent player should improve them, but not to top-50 status. Sure, they could still beat us, but I think given the losses and location of the game, it will be a much, much, much taller task. And either way, I want them to win as many of their other games as possible, and Carmouche could at least help with that.

[bamamarquettefan]

That's actually a nice pickup for them who might solidify them as an NIT team.  When I add him into www.valueaddbasketball.com he moves LSU up to the projected 77th best team.  He was a ball handler for them, and his Value Add projection of 2.61 is exactly the same as Junior Cadougan's.  It's true there other guard is only 5-foot-10, but I have him projected as the 155th best player in the country next year, and we don't have anyone in the top 150 either.

We should have a clear edge at home, but they could show up as a top 100 team at the end of the year, so could be a decent win if we take care of business, but not a push over.

Season Rank   Player   Team   Conf   Ht   Class   Off   Def   PG Per   Value Add   Year   NBA Position
155   Hickey, Anthony   Louisiana St.   SEC   5-10   2 So   1.49   -1.89   1.50   4.88   2013   
503   O'Bryant, Johnny   Louisiana St.   SEC   6-09   2 So   1.84   -0.82   0.00   2.66   2013   
532   Carmouche, Charles Louisiana St.   SEC   6-02   4 Sr.   1.01   -0.6   1.00   2.61   2013
666   Coleman, Shavon   Louisiana St.   SEC   6-06   3 Jr   1.52   0.65   0.00   2.17   2013   
694   Morgan, Malik   Louisiana St.   SEC   6-03   1 Fr   1.42   -0.64   0.00   2.06   2013   
850   Stringer, Andre   Louisiana St.   SEC   5-09   3 Jr   1.16   -0.52   0.00   1.68   2013   
1014   Turner, Ralston   Louisiana St.   SEC   6-06   3 Jr   0.95   -0.42   0.00   1.37   2013   
1312   Godrey, Calvin   Louisiana St.   SEC   6-08   3 Jr   0.69   0.30   0.00   0.99   2013   
1776   Courtney, Jalen   Louisiana St.   SEC   6-08   3 Jr   0.36   0.00   0.00   0.36   2013   
1848   Ludwig, Eddie   Louisiana St.   SEC   6-09   4 Sr   0.00   -0.28   0.00   0.28   2013   
2266   Isaac, John           Louisiana St.   SEC   6-04   2 So   0.00   0.00   0.00   0.00   2013   
98   Louisiana St.   SEC         0.00   0.00   16.45   -0.01   2013 Team   
adding Carmouche will move to 77th

[brewcity77]

With all the turnover, I'm surprised Johnny O'Bryant is still there. Maybe he's hoping one big year as the man will launch a NBA career.

Also, bama, I'm surprised to see Andre Stringer so low. Same with Ralston Turner. I realize they both took a slight step back from a scoring perspective in their sophomore years, but both guys have averaged double-digit points for their first two seasons and seem like prime candidates for notable junior year improvement. Both were also solid four-star recruits, it seems like they'd project better by this time of their careers. While LSU isn't very deep, a three-guard starting lineup of Hickey, Carmouche, and Stringer with O'Bryant and Turner up front looks pretty competitive.